As you know, Dick Kinzel went on the NBC game show "Deal or No Deal" with Howie Mandel, and chose to take the banker's offer of $1,240,000,000 ($1.24 billion) for Paramount Parks. The Banker also threw in Nickelodeon licensing.
Seriously, here's some details from today's conference call:
- $1.24 billion price
- Cedar Fair, L.P. will own 12 properties
- Canada's Wonderland will be Cedar Fair's first investment outside of the United States.
- 25 million guests for the chain
- More diversification; no park will contribute more than 22% of revenue
- Nickelodeon licensing agreement, 4-year DEAL! (SHUT UP HOWIE!)
- Paramount movie licensing up to 10 years - Cedar Fair is looking at whether to keep or dump theming
- Cross-marketing possible
- No changes in operating schedules for Paramount Parks
- Cross-incorporate ideas between all the parks
- Maintain distribution policy
- No plan to divest any Cedar Fair or Paramount Parks properties
- 2007 capital investments and additions already in place, Cedar Fair will honor Paramount commitments, though no attractions over $20 million will be added
- Winterfest concept to be looked at, future to later be determined
- Cedar Fair will not expand/acquire any more properties for 3-4 years.
- Management of parks will be addressed
- Star Trek: The Experience at Las Vegas Hilton is included in the deal
- CBS will keep stock in Great Wolf Lodge
- Capital spending divided between two companies can be spent in a better way
- Will keep up Paramount's great safety record
- Deal was awarded late last night (Sunday) and voted on by CBS Monday morning.
- There was a number of interested bidders.
- Job cuts to be looked at after closing of deal, especially in corporate level
- No immediate effect on Geauga Lake
- No changes visible to public this season.
Sources: PointBuzz, PKI Central
Monday, May 22, 2006
DEVELOPING: Cedar Fair, L.P. to acquire Paramount Parks, including Kings Island!
"See, I told you so!"
As early as April Fool's Day, 2005, I made an joke on my website that Paramount's Kings Island was sold to Cedar Fair, L.P., the owner of Ohio's two other major parks, Cedar Point and Geauga Lake. Within next day, the fake announcement was pulled.
Then, later fall 2005, Viacom Corp. announced it wanted to divest Paramount Parks, and several players, including Cedar Fair, were mentioned as possible buyers, but that talk faded for a bit, as Viacom split into two companies: Viacom Corporation, including MTV, Nickelodeon, and Paramount Pictures. And CBS Corporation, including CBS and Paramount Parks.
Then, of course, this preseason, 2006, CBS Corp. itself announced its intention to sell the Parks, and once again, the Partnership out of Sandusky (where Cedar Point is) looked like to be one of the interested parties. But would one of other park (or non-park) companies be interested?
- Six Flags: New CEO Mark Shapiro announced they are not interested, after some hard times, including the closure of AstroWorld in Houston and the sale of its land, as well as some other properties.
- Anheuser-Busch: They might be a good fit for the Parks, but when did they last open or acquire a large theme park? Remember when they sold their Ohio SeaWorld to Six Flags?...
- Universal: Again, they would be most likely to continue the Hollywood concept, but I remember hearing stuff they wanted out of the park business. Paramount invested into the Parks, but very lightly compared to Universal has to its parks...
- Some investment group: What are they in it for? Viacom and CBS were in it more for the growth, return on investment, etc. Would this mean more of the same as Paramount (good or bad)?
Then, Friday Morning (May 19), I read that at the end of a stockholder's meeting, Cedar Fair CEO Dick Kinzel announces that they are interested in buying Kings Island. Just Kings Island itself, or any or all of the other Paramount Parks? That got things moving.
And now, it becomes reality: this morning, it is announced that Cedar Fair indeed has agreed to purchase Paramount Parks from CBS Corp, for $1.24 billion.
Questions and assumptions:
It is mentioned somewhere by Kinzel that this includes the rights to Nickelodeon characters - important, as Kings Island's new attraction this is the impressive Nickelodeon Universe children's area.
Not sure about the Paramount themes, but I'm assuming they're going away, and the park's name will simply become Kings Island. Same for Carowinds, Kings Dominion (2004 visitor here), Great America (Santa Clara, CA), and Canada's Wonderland.
What about Bonfante Gardens, which Paramount Parks currently manages, as well as Star Trek: The Experience at Las Vegas Hilton, and CBS Television City at MGM Grand in Las Vegas?
Rides/attractions planned for 2007 at Kings Island and other Paramount Parks? May Cedar Fair throw something in for next year, or hold off for something BIG in 2008. As you know, Kings Island is probably the biggest seasonal park around lacking a B&M (or Intamin) steel coaster and my bet is Cedar Fair will finally deliver.
Season Passes: My guess is through the end of the season, Season Passes purchased at a Paramount Park can only be used at Kings Island, Kings Dominion, Carowinds, Great America CA, and Canada's Wonderland. And for 2006, passes purchased through a Cedar Fair park will not be vaild at any of the current Paramount Parks. The deal is not exactly final and in stone, for one, and two, Paramount and Cedar Fair have different season pass and admission systems.
In 2007, can one use the same season pass to gain access to both Kings Island and Cedar Point?
What I can safely assume is that this summer will be interesting, and how a transition will take place!
As early as April Fool's Day, 2005, I made an joke on my website that Paramount's Kings Island was sold to Cedar Fair, L.P., the owner of Ohio's two other major parks, Cedar Point and Geauga Lake. Within next day, the fake announcement was pulled.
Then, later fall 2005, Viacom Corp. announced it wanted to divest Paramount Parks, and several players, including Cedar Fair, were mentioned as possible buyers, but that talk faded for a bit, as Viacom split into two companies: Viacom Corporation, including MTV, Nickelodeon, and Paramount Pictures. And CBS Corporation, including CBS and Paramount Parks.
Then, of course, this preseason, 2006, CBS Corp. itself announced its intention to sell the Parks, and once again, the Partnership out of Sandusky (where Cedar Point is) looked like to be one of the interested parties. But would one of other park (or non-park) companies be interested?
- Six Flags: New CEO Mark Shapiro announced they are not interested, after some hard times, including the closure of AstroWorld in Houston and the sale of its land, as well as some other properties.
- Anheuser-Busch: They might be a good fit for the Parks, but when did they last open or acquire a large theme park? Remember when they sold their Ohio SeaWorld to Six Flags?...
- Universal: Again, they would be most likely to continue the Hollywood concept, but I remember hearing stuff they wanted out of the park business. Paramount invested into the Parks, but very lightly compared to Universal has to its parks...
- Some investment group: What are they in it for? Viacom and CBS were in it more for the growth, return on investment, etc. Would this mean more of the same as Paramount (good or bad)?
Then, Friday Morning (May 19), I read that at the end of a stockholder's meeting, Cedar Fair CEO Dick Kinzel announces that they are interested in buying Kings Island. Just Kings Island itself, or any or all of the other Paramount Parks? That got things moving.
And now, it becomes reality: this morning, it is announced that Cedar Fair indeed has agreed to purchase Paramount Parks from CBS Corp, for $1.24 billion.
Questions and assumptions:
It is mentioned somewhere by Kinzel that this includes the rights to Nickelodeon characters - important, as Kings Island's new attraction this is the impressive Nickelodeon Universe children's area.
Not sure about the Paramount themes, but I'm assuming they're going away, and the park's name will simply become Kings Island. Same for Carowinds, Kings Dominion (2004 visitor here), Great America (Santa Clara, CA), and Canada's Wonderland.
What about Bonfante Gardens, which Paramount Parks currently manages, as well as Star Trek: The Experience at Las Vegas Hilton, and CBS Television City at MGM Grand in Las Vegas?
Rides/attractions planned for 2007 at Kings Island and other Paramount Parks? May Cedar Fair throw something in for next year, or hold off for something BIG in 2008. As you know, Kings Island is probably the biggest seasonal park around lacking a B&M (or Intamin) steel coaster and my bet is Cedar Fair will finally deliver.
Season Passes: My guess is through the end of the season, Season Passes purchased at a Paramount Park can only be used at Kings Island, Kings Dominion, Carowinds, Great America CA, and Canada's Wonderland. And for 2006, passes purchased through a Cedar Fair park will not be vaild at any of the current Paramount Parks. The deal is not exactly final and in stone, for one, and two, Paramount and Cedar Fair have different season pass and admission systems.
In 2007, can one use the same season pass to gain access to both Kings Island and Cedar Point?
What I can safely assume is that this summer will be interesting, and how a transition will take place!
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Louisville: A race before Derby Day
Following my visit to Beech Bend in Bowling Green, KY, I made the decision to stop at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom before heading back home to Cincinnati, though knowing what very limited time I had - especiall since Bowling Green was in Central time zone, and Louisville is in the Eastern. This meant I had to head up I-65 in only two hours, then get to the Expo Center, home of the Six Flags park, which was scheduled to close in only 20 minutes from arriving at the main parking entry.
To my surprise, the toll booths were not staffed, so I avoided paying $5 to get in. The next surprise was even better: The park was closing at 8 pm, not 7! Very shocking, since there was hardly anyone in the park - if this were Kings Island, they would have closed at 7 pm, or worse, 6 pm! But Six Flags is being nice this year, so I made may way to my favorite coasters, like Greezed Lightnin', which had been rehabbed with a new* train and loop.
Next up was Chang, where the yellow and blue paint job is now complete, giving a smoother ride. It looks great, with real yellow - bit I personally wisk they kept the rails gray/silver than yellow, as the yellow has already been torn away through wheel wear. T2 was waiting for me, and it might have been due to two riders (me included), it was rough as hell. Next time I ride that thing, I'll go with a full train of riders!
Thunder Run is usually a pain to go through because of its low capacity and slow loading procedure, but because there were few people in the park, the load was sped up. I got two consecutive rides, front and back. The airtime was still great, but the train did a lot of shuffling - maybe I was spoiled by the new wood at HW and BB!
Twisted Twins, unlike my last visit, was running both sides. I got 2 on the pink side, one on the teal train. Still a good ride, but not as good as the other wood I've been on the past two days. Before leaving for the 8 pm close, I did the Roller Skater, another round on Greezed Lightnin' and closed with Roadrunner Express. Upon leaving the park, there were the Looney Tunes characters on the front gate plaza dancing and entertaining the departing guests. Again, Six Flags is emphasizing family entertainment - doing stuff I wish the 'Hollywood' park near me would do.
Walking out of the front gate, I noted that lately that the surrounding Kentucky Exposition Center, next to the park, has been undergoing a transformation. The new South Wing C was completed in October 2005, and now, the old East Wing is being demolished. Built in 1956, along with Freedom Hall and the West Wing, it was outdated because of its low roof and many columns, and will be replaced with a new hall similar to the newer South Wings.
Likewise, the days of the old Cardinal Stadium are probably numbered. Its tenants, minor league baseball, and University of Louisville Cardinals football, have moved to newer facilities, and its older 1956 design with columns are also a downside, and is only really used during the State Fair. It may be torn down to make way for a new indoor arena - Louisville has made bids for an NBA franchise, and of couse Freedom Hall, is aging. This also leaves the future of Freedom Hall and the West Wing in the air...
Surronding the KEC, area hotels were packed and stacked, as were some of the roads and retailers, the night before the Derby. Macy's at Oxmoo(r) Center was open late, past its usual 9pm closing. By 11:30, I made it back home, just as the Late Show with Dave was on. It was a memorable couple of days of coasters, driving, eating and more.
By the way, Kobe Bryant made a silly poop joke. More later.
To my surprise, the toll booths were not staffed, so I avoided paying $5 to get in. The next surprise was even better: The park was closing at 8 pm, not 7! Very shocking, since there was hardly anyone in the park - if this were Kings Island, they would have closed at 7 pm, or worse, 6 pm! But Six Flags is being nice this year, so I made may way to my favorite coasters, like Greezed Lightnin', which had been rehabbed with a new* train and loop.
Next up was Chang, where the yellow and blue paint job is now complete, giving a smoother ride. It looks great, with real yellow - bit I personally wisk they kept the rails gray/silver than yellow, as the yellow has already been torn away through wheel wear. T2 was waiting for me, and it might have been due to two riders (me included), it was rough as hell. Next time I ride that thing, I'll go with a full train of riders!
Thunder Run is usually a pain to go through because of its low capacity and slow loading procedure, but because there were few people in the park, the load was sped up. I got two consecutive rides, front and back. The airtime was still great, but the train did a lot of shuffling - maybe I was spoiled by the new wood at HW and BB!
Twisted Twins, unlike my last visit, was running both sides. I got 2 on the pink side, one on the teal train. Still a good ride, but not as good as the other wood I've been on the past two days. Before leaving for the 8 pm close, I did the Roller Skater, another round on Greezed Lightnin' and closed with Roadrunner Express. Upon leaving the park, there were the Looney Tunes characters on the front gate plaza dancing and entertaining the departing guests. Again, Six Flags is emphasizing family entertainment - doing stuff I wish the 'Hollywood' park near me would do.
Walking out of the front gate, I noted that lately that the surrounding Kentucky Exposition Center, next to the park, has been undergoing a transformation. The new South Wing C was completed in October 2005, and now, the old East Wing is being demolished. Built in 1956, along with Freedom Hall and the West Wing, it was outdated because of its low roof and many columns, and will be replaced with a new hall similar to the newer South Wings.
Likewise, the days of the old Cardinal Stadium are probably numbered. Its tenants, minor league baseball, and University of Louisville Cardinals football, have moved to newer facilities, and its older 1956 design with columns are also a downside, and is only really used during the State Fair. It may be torn down to make way for a new indoor arena - Louisville has made bids for an NBA franchise, and of couse Freedom Hall, is aging. This also leaves the future of Freedom Hall and the West Wing in the air...
Surronding the KEC, area hotels were packed and stacked, as were some of the roads and retailers, the night before the Derby. Macy's at Oxmoo(r) Center was open late, past its usual 9pm closing. By 11:30, I made it back home, just as the Late Show with Dave was on. It was a memorable couple of days of coasters, driving, eating and more.
By the way, Kobe Bryant made a silly poop joke. More later.
Late report from the latest Trip: Beech Bend and Kentucky Rumbler.
I am finally back home from my Kentuckiana trip to Holiday World, Beech Bend, and Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom.
The two most important parts, were the media events held Thursday at Holiday World in Santa Claus, IN for The Voyage, and on Friday at Beech Bend Park in Bowling Green, KY for the Kentucky Rumbler, both wooden coasters.
I will have more later on about Holiday World and the Voyage, as well as SFKK.
Thursday night, I stayed at the Motel 6 in Dale, IN - it was cheap yet clean and had free wireless internet, not far from Holiday World, which was fine with me. It wasn't quite the Radisson on the 26th floor with a view, but satisfying.
Friday morning, I ate at the Denny's for breakfast across from the motel - $6 for a ton of stuff is great value these days. Then I drove south towards Bowling Green, crossing the beautiful William Natcher Bridge over the Ohio River, then down the Natcher Parkway. The Parkway was undergoing resurfacing, which slowed things down. Also, there are three toll points on the Natcher Parkway, which are supposed to be removed next year when the highway has been 'paid off,' but for now, it sets you back a total of $1.50
Before arriving at Beech Bend, I passed by Western Kentucky University and its athletics complex - a baseball park, a two-deck football grandstand, and recently renovated arena for basketball, plus a 25-30 some story tower, either for dorm rooms, classrooms or offices. Something fascinating about these places.
Also fascinating is the drive into Beech Bend - lots of trees and farms with fences that simply give you that great rural Kentucky feel - and before going into the park, there's a divided road with big trees in the middle, then you see some amusement rides and the big new wood coaster. Besides the park, there's also a campground, and racetracks, including a drag raceway that was in use Friday. The complex has been owned by Dallas Jones and family for about 20 years, who has transformed the place with many new, large rides and coasters in recent years.
Besides Darkride and Funhouse Enthusiasts (DAFE) and Roller Coaster Club of Great Britain (RCCGB) members, also invited were members of the regional media, politicians, officials, area businesses, and sponsors. There was a great large crowd of the media and guests on hand at first for the first new rides on the Kentucky Rumbler, but many left not long after after their work was done, and it was fair game for the enthusiasts. I got two rides in this session.
The coaster, was designed by Great Coasters International, Inc, who had designed several other well-known wood coasters, such as Wildcat and Lightning Racer at Hersheypark, Roar at Six Flags America, and Thunderhead at Dollywood. GCI, along with engineer Jeff Pike, is well known for its beautiful twisted designs, high banking, station fly-bys and close encounters, and articulated Millennium Flyer trains. Kentucky Rumbler only had one MF train, and the size of the coaster is small compared to other GCI creations, (and The Voyage!), but a lot of fun is packed into the layout, and gave a very smooth ride!
At about noon CDT, attendees were treated to a lunch catered by Whitt's Barbecue in the Dalls Jones Pavilion. While food was brought to Holiday World on Thursday, similar to what Six Flags parks have - Subway and Papa John's, Beech Bend visitors got nice non-park food. A video was playing in the background, of a new Discovery Channel special, that features Beech Bend and their new roller coaster.
A nice surpise for us came after lunch, when we were free to not just ride the Rumbler, but also the other 3 coasters, including the Wild Mouse, which was recently added. I sat with two other people in the spinning car, and in the second half of the ride, we were spinning so fast that I shouted some words that I prefer not to repeat here. Otherwise, a smooth, fun ride.
Next up, I did the Dragon, a small kid/family coaster. On the first trip with riders, the train got stuck in the middle - the big people on board caused the train to stop on a high point, which required a push from park staff. I got on the second ride, and while my train slowed at that point, it made it through on its own that time.
The other coaster was the Pinfari "Looping Star," which was relocated to another location this season to make some more room for the Kentucky Rumbler. I first rode it in 2002, and didn't find the ride much better. It was painful at best - but they let me take pictures!
I got a few more rides on the Kentucky Rumbler, which I was also invited to take pictures while riding. I got to sit almost everywhere, including the front and back seats. In the end, I must say that Beech Bend now has a signature ride, and one of the happiest people is park owner Dallas Jones, who has worked hard to make Beech Bend into a nice regional destination.
I probably could have stayed later on, but decided to make time to stop by another park on the way back home...
The two most important parts, were the media events held Thursday at Holiday World in Santa Claus, IN for The Voyage, and on Friday at Beech Bend Park in Bowling Green, KY for the Kentucky Rumbler, both wooden coasters.
I will have more later on about Holiday World and the Voyage, as well as SFKK.
Thursday night, I stayed at the Motel 6 in Dale, IN - it was cheap yet clean and had free wireless internet, not far from Holiday World, which was fine with me. It wasn't quite the Radisson on the 26th floor with a view, but satisfying.
Friday morning, I ate at the Denny's for breakfast across from the motel - $6 for a ton of stuff is great value these days. Then I drove south towards Bowling Green, crossing the beautiful William Natcher Bridge over the Ohio River, then down the Natcher Parkway. The Parkway was undergoing resurfacing, which slowed things down. Also, there are three toll points on the Natcher Parkway, which are supposed to be removed next year when the highway has been 'paid off,' but for now, it sets you back a total of $1.50
Before arriving at Beech Bend, I passed by Western Kentucky University and its athletics complex - a baseball park, a two-deck football grandstand, and recently renovated arena for basketball, plus a 25-30 some story tower, either for dorm rooms, classrooms or offices. Something fascinating about these places.
Also fascinating is the drive into Beech Bend - lots of trees and farms with fences that simply give you that great rural Kentucky feel - and before going into the park, there's a divided road with big trees in the middle, then you see some amusement rides and the big new wood coaster. Besides the park, there's also a campground, and racetracks, including a drag raceway that was in use Friday. The complex has been owned by Dallas Jones and family for about 20 years, who has transformed the place with many new, large rides and coasters in recent years.
Besides Darkride and Funhouse Enthusiasts (DAFE) and Roller Coaster Club of Great Britain (RCCGB) members, also invited were members of the regional media, politicians, officials, area businesses, and sponsors. There was a great large crowd of the media and guests on hand at first for the first new rides on the Kentucky Rumbler, but many left not long after after their work was done, and it was fair game for the enthusiasts. I got two rides in this session.
The coaster, was designed by Great Coasters International, Inc, who had designed several other well-known wood coasters, such as Wildcat and Lightning Racer at Hersheypark, Roar at Six Flags America, and Thunderhead at Dollywood. GCI, along with engineer Jeff Pike, is well known for its beautiful twisted designs, high banking, station fly-bys and close encounters, and articulated Millennium Flyer trains. Kentucky Rumbler only had one MF train, and the size of the coaster is small compared to other GCI creations, (and The Voyage!), but a lot of fun is packed into the layout, and gave a very smooth ride!
At about noon CDT, attendees were treated to a lunch catered by Whitt's Barbecue in the Dalls Jones Pavilion. While food was brought to Holiday World on Thursday, similar to what Six Flags parks have - Subway and Papa John's, Beech Bend visitors got nice non-park food. A video was playing in the background, of a new Discovery Channel special, that features Beech Bend and their new roller coaster.
A nice surpise for us came after lunch, when we were free to not just ride the Rumbler, but also the other 3 coasters, including the Wild Mouse, which was recently added. I sat with two other people in the spinning car, and in the second half of the ride, we were spinning so fast that I shouted some words that I prefer not to repeat here. Otherwise, a smooth, fun ride.
Next up, I did the Dragon, a small kid/family coaster. On the first trip with riders, the train got stuck in the middle - the big people on board caused the train to stop on a high point, which required a push from park staff. I got on the second ride, and while my train slowed at that point, it made it through on its own that time.
The other coaster was the Pinfari "Looping Star," which was relocated to another location this season to make some more room for the Kentucky Rumbler. I first rode it in 2002, and didn't find the ride much better. It was painful at best - but they let me take pictures!
I got a few more rides on the Kentucky Rumbler, which I was also invited to take pictures while riding. I got to sit almost everywhere, including the front and back seats. In the end, I must say that Beech Bend now has a signature ride, and one of the happiest people is park owner Dallas Jones, who has worked hard to make Beech Bend into a nice regional destination.
I probably could have stayed later on, but decided to make time to stop by another park on the way back home...
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Voyage: Mid Day Report
Checking in from my motel not far from Holiday World, I must report that I have ridden the new Voyage roller coaster 30 times, during the media preview and official launch!
The Voyage is everything they have hyped it up to be: there is at least 20 bouts of airtime, and a lot of intensity! Make your plans now for Santa Claus, Indiana and ride this new "classic" wood coaster, designed by our friends at the Gravity Group!
In the next half hour or so, I will head back to the park for four more hours of great ride time!
Tomorrow, I drive down to Beech Bend Park in Bowling Green, KY and ride the new GCI twister, Kentucky Rumbler! It may not be as intense as Voyage, but still a lot of fun.
The Voyage is everything they have hyped it up to be: there is at least 20 bouts of airtime, and a lot of intensity! Make your plans now for Santa Claus, Indiana and ride this new "classic" wood coaster, designed by our friends at the Gravity Group!
In the next half hour or so, I will head back to the park for four more hours of great ride time!
Tomorrow, I drive down to Beech Bend Park in Bowling Green, KY and ride the new GCI twister, Kentucky Rumbler! It may not be as intense as Voyage, but still a lot of fun.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Potpourri: Primary Polls, No Pujols, and Gearing up for The Voyage
Dateline Wednesday, the first primary election of 2006 is in, and after some heated campaigns, get ready for another round before this fall's Congressional elections and Ohio Governor. Ken Blackwell, former Cincinnati mayor and current Secretary of State, will represent the Republicans, and Ted Strickland will be on the DNC ticket in the Gubernatorial race. In the second district in Ohio, Jean Schmidt will continue her re-election bid as a Republican, as her Democratic opponent will be Victoria Wulfsin. Not sure how this race will turn out, but I'd be surprised if it were as heated as the special election when Schmidt went up against Paul Hackett last year.
There is a new balloting system in use here in Hamilton County, as well as other Ohio counties, which have done away with the punch-cards that were involved in the 2000 Presidential election in Florida. Here, it is a simple, one-sheet ballot, letter-sized. Voters fill in the blank rectangle with ink, making the one completely black next to the candidate/issue of choice. It, however, became very tedious having to fill in with a fine ballpoint pen - especially with races where only one candidate was running for that party. Next time, they should use some kind of marker that doesn't bleed into the other side. The process is finished when the voter inserts the sheet into the reader - it is accepted once a U.S. flag shows up on the display - making for an easier balloting system, while still providing a paper trail.
Not long after voting, I headed downtown Cincinnati for the Reds game against the Cardinals at the Great American Ball Park. I don't think I could have asked for better weather, and my seat was great, but can't say too much about the game. 3B Scott Rolen reportedly didn't make the trip to Cincinnati due to illness, and 1B Albert Pujols sat out due to a stiff back which probably resulted from Monday night's game. Jim Edmonds made a late appearance around the 7th inning, first pinch hitting, then at first base, then back to his usual position in centerfield. The Reds got the last say with an RBI in the ninth, winning 3-2. The Reds may be without Ken Griffey, Jr. but the Cincinnati ballclub has the best record in baseball so far, 19-9. Of course, the season is only a month old, and Pujols and Rolen will be back soon.
What's next? I am preparing for my "Voyage" to a "festive" town in southern Indiana. Arrival time: just after 6 am CDT. Before I go, rather than quoting a famous "sailing" Styx song, Chris Daughtry sang "Renegade" on American Idol last night. All 3 judges loved it!
There is a new balloting system in use here in Hamilton County, as well as other Ohio counties, which have done away with the punch-cards that were involved in the 2000 Presidential election in Florida. Here, it is a simple, one-sheet ballot, letter-sized. Voters fill in the blank rectangle with ink, making the one completely black next to the candidate/issue of choice. It, however, became very tedious having to fill in with a fine ballpoint pen - especially with races where only one candidate was running for that party. Next time, they should use some kind of marker that doesn't bleed into the other side. The process is finished when the voter inserts the sheet into the reader - it is accepted once a U.S. flag shows up on the display - making for an easier balloting system, while still providing a paper trail.
Not long after voting, I headed downtown Cincinnati for the Reds game against the Cardinals at the Great American Ball Park. I don't think I could have asked for better weather, and my seat was great, but can't say too much about the game. 3B Scott Rolen reportedly didn't make the trip to Cincinnati due to illness, and 1B Albert Pujols sat out due to a stiff back which probably resulted from Monday night's game. Jim Edmonds made a late appearance around the 7th inning, first pinch hitting, then at first base, then back to his usual position in centerfield. The Reds got the last say with an RBI in the ninth, winning 3-2. The Reds may be without Ken Griffey, Jr. but the Cincinnati ballclub has the best record in baseball so far, 19-9. Of course, the season is only a month old, and Pujols and Rolen will be back soon.
What's next? I am preparing for my "Voyage" to a "festive" town in southern Indiana. Arrival time: just after 6 am CDT. Before I go, rather than quoting a famous "sailing" Styx song, Chris Daughtry sang "Renegade" on American Idol last night. All 3 judges loved it!
Thursday, April 27, 2006
URGENT: Help get Glenn back on the air in Cincinnati!
Now that Tony Snow has left his radio show, carried by 550 WKRC AM, to become the White House Press Secretary, the station is now asking listeners who they'd like to replace Tony.
At first there were three choices: Neal Boortz, Laura Ingraham, and Dave Ramsey.
Glenn Beck, who used to have the 9-noon time slot, wasn't a choice. Until now, thanks to listeners like myself, who contacted the station, 55KRC, Glenn is now one of four choices.
Now, you have the opportunity to bring exciting talk radio that goes beyond politics, back onto the Cincinnati airwaves! Vote FOR GLENN BECK now on 55KRC.com!
At first there were three choices: Neal Boortz, Laura Ingraham, and Dave Ramsey.
Glenn Beck, who used to have the 9-noon time slot, wasn't a choice. Until now, thanks to listeners like myself, who contacted the station, 55KRC, Glenn is now one of four choices.
Now, you have the opportunity to bring exciting talk radio that goes beyond politics, back onto the Cincinnati airwaves! Vote FOR GLENN BECK now on 55KRC.com!
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Update: Tony Snow / Glenn Beck
While the official announcement has yet to be made, sources say that Tony Snow, Fox News radio host and Princeton HS grad, has accepted the position of White House Press Secretary. An Announcement should be made tomorrow, Wednesday morning.
This also means that since Tony will be giving up his radio show, aired locally on 550 WKRC AM, 9 am-noon. In January, Tony Snow Show bumped off Glenn Beck, whom 55KRC had been airing since late 2001. However, with Snow's departure, this brings a new opportunity to bring back Glenn Beck (whew!), especially since he has a new TV gig on CNN Headline News, starting May 8, weeknights at 7 pm.
Glenn Beck is one of the most hilarious yet heartwarming people I have ever heard, seen, and met. Please help bring back Beck on Cincinnati airwaves by:
Calling 55KRC at: 513-686-8300
Or emailing: http://www.55krc.com/pages/comments.html
This also means that since Tony will be giving up his radio show, aired locally on 550 WKRC AM, 9 am-noon. In January, Tony Snow Show bumped off Glenn Beck, whom 55KRC had been airing since late 2001. However, with Snow's departure, this brings a new opportunity to bring back Glenn Beck (whew!), especially since he has a new TV gig on CNN Headline News, starting May 8, weeknights at 7 pm.
Glenn Beck is one of the most hilarious yet heartwarming people I have ever heard, seen, and met. Please help bring back Beck on Cincinnati airwaves by:
Calling 55KRC at: 513-686-8300
Or emailing: http://www.55krc.com/pages/comments.html
Friday, April 21, 2006
It's official: Cyclones are Back!
I received an e-mail from U.S. Bank Arena a few minutes ago...
Press Release
I don't know if I'll be residing in Cincinnati this fall, but seeing pro hockey back again is certainly good news. In a way, it's surreal!
Press Release
I don't know if I'll be residing in Cincinnati this fall, but seeing pro hockey back again is certainly good news. In a way, it's surreal!
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Tony Snow to White House?
This week, we learned that President Bush's Press Secretary, Scott McClellan has resigned, and that Fox News commenator Tony Snow has been offered the chance to replace McClellan. Snow, a Cincinnati native, and 1973 graduate of Princeton High School (I'm a 2000 PHS grad), is expected to make a decision by tomorrow, Friday. It will obviously be a high-key, public, and extremely challenging position, but I think he'll do well and accept it.
Since Snow hosts a radio program, carried by 550 WKRC-AM, I'm wondering that if Snow leaves for the White House, will Glenn Beck be back in the 9am-noon time slot at 55KRC? Beck, by the way, will start a TV program on May 8th on CNN Headline News.
Since Snow hosts a radio program, carried by 550 WKRC-AM, I'm wondering that if Snow leaves for the White House, will Glenn Beck be back in the 9am-noon time slot at 55KRC? Beck, by the way, will start a TV program on May 8th on CNN Headline News.
Cyclones to return to U.S. Bank Arena?
According to 12 WKRC Sports Director Brad Johansen, Cincinnati's pro hockey drought will end this fall - but not at the Cincinnati Gardens, as many had hoped.
Instead, the Cyclones, who played in the ECHL and IHL, will return to U.S. Bank Arena, where they played 1997 until 2004, when they suspended operations.
Johansen said, not quite confirmed, expect more on this Friday morning! Again, I hope the drought is over!
Instead, the Cyclones, who played in the ECHL and IHL, will return to U.S. Bank Arena, where they played 1997 until 2004, when they suspended operations.
Johansen said, not quite confirmed, expect more on this Friday morning! Again, I hope the drought is over!
Monday, April 17, 2006
Wow, wow, and WOW! Back from St. Louis...
- 2 games at new Busch: 2 totally different experiences?
- 'Givl' Barry Bonds, how 'bout that young clean sensation that is Albert Pujols?
- Is there a new nickname for 'spilling your drink?'
- Is Chris Welsh a perv?
- Jim Edmonds + Scott Rolen = is Jim Scott a closet Cardinals fan?
- Didn't get to ride any Haughton escalators this weekend
- Ernie Hays should play Glenn Beck's martini music
- The Reds have gotten off to a good start so far, but then again, there is Albert Pujols...
More this week!
- 'Givl' Barry Bonds, how 'bout that young clean sensation that is Albert Pujols?
- Is there a new nickname for 'spilling your drink?'
- Is Chris Welsh a perv?
- Jim Edmonds + Scott Rolen = is Jim Scott a closet Cardinals fan?
- Didn't get to ride any Haughton escalators this weekend
- Ernie Hays should play Glenn Beck's martini music
- The Reds have gotten off to a good start so far, but then again, there is Albert Pujols...
More this week!
Saturday, April 15, 2006
St. Louis: Back from Hockey and more
Today's activities began at Six Flags St. Louis theme park, in the suburb of Eureka, MO. The crowds werfe light, and I had a wonderful time. Unfortunately, I left early because of impending storms, but it gave me time to do more things. On the way back, I listened to the Cardinals game on 550 KTRS, and the Redbirds had a considerable lead over the "Tireds." I drove past the stadium, where a Cardinal home run was scored, and I could see fireworks shot out of the scoreboard area. I saw the end in my hotel room, final score 9-3 STL.
I got back out, and walked over to Famous-Barr department store, checked out stuff, and rode the various escalators, including wooden Otis escalators (the steps were steel, though). The store is expected to remain open after F-B and other May Co. nameplates are phased out for Macy's as part of Federated's acquisition of May.
I walked to the nearest Metrolink station from there, and rode the train over to Union Station. What an amazing complex! The former rail yard was converted into parking, restaurants, a small lake, Hyatt hotel, and shopping mall. The grand main building and grand hall were restored in the great Gothic style. While at Union Station, I ran into a broadcaster who was in town calling the game against the Cardinals. Hint: George W. Bush got his last name wrong!
After a meal and the odd encounter, I went to the SAVVIS Center arena nearby, for the Blues vs. Redwings NHL game. I think it's truly a major-league first class arena, good scoreboard system, and emphasis on escalators for moving fans up and down rather than stairs, ramps, and escalators (see "new Busch Stadium" on how not to do it).
Starting off, I got the chance to hear one of the greatest renditions of the national anthem I've EVER heard live in person, backed up with the organ. Again, the Blues, like a select few other sports teams, has respect for a great traditon known as the organ.
The game was fun, right until the end when the Detroit Red Wings scored, winning 3-2, but it was nice to see some of the best players in the game, just like I came to see the Cardinals in the new Busch Stadium, especially Albert Pujols.
Tomorrow, I'll go to the Arch, and a nearby Mass for Easter, and of course, Cardinals vs. Reds at new Busch Stadium, before a long, hard drive back home. They say St. Louis was the center of the world in 1904. I wouldn't be surprised if that were true today, at least in the sports world. Add 'what if.." an NBA team calling SAVVIS Center home might confirm that claim... Yes, some great structures have vanished, like the St. Louis Arena, Kiel Auditorium, Sportsman's Park, and Busch Memorial Stadium - but the spirit of the Cardinals, Blues, and.. to some extent.. the Rams (who played 4 games in Busch II in '95) will remain.
And not a bad Six Flags park either. The Boss was still great fun, and Bugs Bunny National Park is beautiful!
Tomorrow, I may make a quick post before I head off to Busch for the Sunday game, and after that, its Queen City or Bust! (not before passing through Johh-Effing-Kerry-Ham and In-di-an-ap-ol-is.)
I got back out, and walked over to Famous-Barr department store, checked out stuff, and rode the various escalators, including wooden Otis escalators (the steps were steel, though). The store is expected to remain open after F-B and other May Co. nameplates are phased out for Macy's as part of Federated's acquisition of May.
I walked to the nearest Metrolink station from there, and rode the train over to Union Station. What an amazing complex! The former rail yard was converted into parking, restaurants, a small lake, Hyatt hotel, and shopping mall. The grand main building and grand hall were restored in the great Gothic style. While at Union Station, I ran into a broadcaster who was in town calling the game against the Cardinals. Hint: George W. Bush got his last name wrong!
After a meal and the odd encounter, I went to the SAVVIS Center arena nearby, for the Blues vs. Redwings NHL game. I think it's truly a major-league first class arena, good scoreboard system, and emphasis on escalators for moving fans up and down rather than stairs, ramps, and escalators (see "new Busch Stadium" on how not to do it).
Starting off, I got the chance to hear one of the greatest renditions of the national anthem I've EVER heard live in person, backed up with the organ. Again, the Blues, like a select few other sports teams, has respect for a great traditon known as the organ.
The game was fun, right until the end when the Detroit Red Wings scored, winning 3-2, but it was nice to see some of the best players in the game, just like I came to see the Cardinals in the new Busch Stadium, especially Albert Pujols.
Tomorrow, I'll go to the Arch, and a nearby Mass for Easter, and of course, Cardinals vs. Reds at new Busch Stadium, before a long, hard drive back home. They say St. Louis was the center of the world in 1904. I wouldn't be surprised if that were true today, at least in the sports world. Add 'what if.." an NBA team calling SAVVIS Center home might confirm that claim... Yes, some great structures have vanished, like the St. Louis Arena, Kiel Auditorium, Sportsman's Park, and Busch Memorial Stadium - but the spirit of the Cardinals, Blues, and.. to some extent.. the Rams (who played 4 games in Busch II in '95) will remain.
And not a bad Six Flags park either. The Boss was still great fun, and Bugs Bunny National Park is beautiful!
Tomorrow, I may make a quick post before I head off to Busch for the Sunday game, and after that, its Queen City or Bust! (not before passing through Johh-Effing-Kerry-Ham and In-di-an-ap-ol-is.)
The first Morning After - Cardinals 0 - Reds 1
My first visit to the new Busch Stadium is now history, and I'll say that it was a mixed bag.
- Yes, the Cardinals lost, but I like the Reds too.
- Many of the restrooms were small, but there were many of them!
- The escalators for the "regular people" were not yet ready. Honestly, there should be more.
- Sound system still needs work
- BUT, who can complain about the location, with the proximity to downtown, which is changing to become more of an after-5 pm destination - and the Arch in the background?
Overall, it's a great place, but I don't think it's the best park in baseball, as of now.
I'm about to leave within the next half hour to go to Six Flags St. Louis - it should be great!
And if I don't burn out bad, I'll go to the Blues-Red Wings game at Savvis Center. It can be 80 outside, they'll still play hockey in St. Louis.
- Yes, the Cardinals lost, but I like the Reds too.
- Many of the restrooms were small, but there were many of them!
- The escalators for the "regular people" were not yet ready. Honestly, there should be more.
- Sound system still needs work
- BUT, who can complain about the location, with the proximity to downtown, which is changing to become more of an after-5 pm destination - and the Arch in the background?
Overall, it's a great place, but I don't think it's the best park in baseball, as of now.
I'm about to leave within the next half hour to go to Six Flags St. Louis - it should be great!
And if I don't burn out bad, I'll go to the Blues-Red Wings game at Savvis Center. It can be 80 outside, they'll still play hockey in St. Louis.
Friday, April 14, 2006
In St. Louis, Checking in #1
I'm in my room at the Radisson downtown St. Louis. In just an hour or so, my first game at new Busch Stadium begins! So, this means, gotta go!
I had an interesting day at PKI, got to ride the new Avatar... it's great!
Go Cardinals! 2005 NL Cy Young Chris Carpenter pitches tonight!
Albert Pujols forever, Ken Griffey Jr... he's OK too.
I had an interesting day at PKI, got to ride the new Avatar... it's great!
Go Cardinals! 2005 NL Cy Young Chris Carpenter pitches tonight!
Albert Pujols forever, Ken Griffey Jr... he's OK too.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
St. Louis, New Busch just hours away!
In less than 11 hours, I will be leaving town for St. Louis, MO, to see the new Busch Stadium and two games there between the Reds and Cardinals. The new stadium is located on the south of the former (second) Busch Stadium, which served the Cardinals, baseball fans, and the city from May 1966 until October last year, prior to its painful but quick demolition.
Is the new Busch Stadium the best park in baseball? I promise a full, in-depth review, full of videos, and photos and such. I'll look at: the scoreboard, playing field, the seats, stadium/grandstand design, architecture, vertical circulation (elevators, escalators, stairs, ramps), food, prices, souvenirs, concourses, lighting, music, sound system, fans, staff, and of course, the teams!
As if the Wildman might say say, "St. Louis Cardinals forever, Cincinnati Reds... they're OK too." The Cardinals suffered their first loss at the new stadium today, 3-4, in 11 innings, to the Brewers. The Reds leave Chicago after taking two of three from the Cubs, and are tied in first with Milwaukee, 6-3. The Cardinals are 5th, 5-4 record in the second week of the young season. This series at Busch will be exciting. I'll be there for the Friday night and Sunday afternoon games, both behind home plate, though at different levels...
Of course, there's more than baseball in St. Louis. I plan on going to Savvis Center to see the Blues play the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night, my second NHL game since Pittsburgh in February.
Before that, I'll be at Six Flags St. Louis in the monring and afternoon, riding the great thrill rides and coasters I love doing.
As Willie, who's trying to recover after the shooting of activist Kabaka Oba across from Cincinnati City Hall, I'll give you a FULL REPORT! And I'll check in Friday, after the game for a brief review.
Is the new Busch Stadium the best park in baseball? I promise a full, in-depth review, full of videos, and photos and such. I'll look at: the scoreboard, playing field, the seats, stadium/grandstand design, architecture, vertical circulation (elevators, escalators, stairs, ramps), food, prices, souvenirs, concourses, lighting, music, sound system, fans, staff, and of course, the teams!
As if the Wildman might say say, "St. Louis Cardinals forever, Cincinnati Reds... they're OK too." The Cardinals suffered their first loss at the new stadium today, 3-4, in 11 innings, to the Brewers. The Reds leave Chicago after taking two of three from the Cubs, and are tied in first with Milwaukee, 6-3. The Cardinals are 5th, 5-4 record in the second week of the young season. This series at Busch will be exciting. I'll be there for the Friday night and Sunday afternoon games, both behind home plate, though at different levels...
Of course, there's more than baseball in St. Louis. I plan on going to Savvis Center to see the Blues play the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night, my second NHL game since Pittsburgh in February.
Before that, I'll be at Six Flags St. Louis in the monring and afternoon, riding the great thrill rides and coasters I love doing.
As Willie, who's trying to recover after the shooting of activist Kabaka Oba across from Cincinnati City Hall, I'll give you a FULL REPORT! And I'll check in Friday, after the game for a brief review.
Sunday, April 02, 2006
Trip Report: Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, 4/1/06
A combination of going almost five months without coaster riding, great weather, and buzz created by new management, especially Six Flags' new CEO, Mark Shapiro, I chose to make the drive down to Louisville to check out Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom (SFKK) on April Fool's Day (Sat. 4/1/06).
I bought my season pass online, and printed the vouchers at home, the night prior towards leaving. I took my friend Brian, who also followed the same procedure, and we left northern Cincinnati at around 9:30 am, arriving at the Kentucky Fair & Expo Center approximately at 11:30. There were a large amount of cars parked in front of the expo halls, as there was a Flea Market going on in the West Hall, but we ended up finding a space with a short walk to the park.
Walking in, security seemed more strict than they were last year, doing a more thorough search, making me empty out all my pockets of electronic items, camera, phone, and iPod nano included. Beyond that, the area was very festive and inviting, with balloons and even the new Six Flags "theme song" playing, and people and signs saying "Have a great 45th Anniversary!" The chain is celebrating its 45th anniversary, since Six Flags over Texas opened in 1961. This, however makes guests think Kentucky Kingdom itself opened in 1961, and not really in 1987 (before closing for 2 seaons after a bad first year). BUT there have been FAR more misleading claims made...
Brian and I soon made our way to the Season Pass processing center, which had a short line outside the door. Upon making our way, more were already in, while there were a LOT of employees working the cameras, so getting our passes was with little effort. Noting a short line, we went to Hellevator, which only had a one to two cycle wait, and only one of the 5 sections were out of order. Since I'm looking out on the vast Expo Center and the city beyond, I hardly notice wer're going to be dropped.
Since I haven't been on a coaster since November, I wanted to start off on a good one, so I chose to go to Greezed Lightnin'. We got in the second to last row, when we noticed that our friends Adam and Darlene were waiting in the back! Not only did we notice that there is a "new" loop, but also a "new" train: they were parts of the former Tidal Wave/Greased Lightning that ran at Marriott's/Paramount's Great America in California. You may recall that after being dismantled, it was bought by Six Flags Marine World as parts, but never rebuilt whole again. I noticed the train looked different, not only by its colors, but also its headrests, and the yellow markings on the lapbars (something frequently seen on lapbars/restraints at Kings Island). The ride, however, was of the same quality as before, with some good airtime sitting in the back.
The four of us went to ride Road Runner Express next, with a decent line. While it is a mouse with a lot of quick stops and lateral G's, it had some negative vertical G's as well. The frequently alternating view between Chang and Freedom Hall was fun, too. Right after our ride, we headed across the "Damn Bridge" to the larger section of the park towards Chang.
Earlier on, we learned that Chang was receiving a badly needed paint job, which would be of yellow track and blue supports. Some school children entered and won the contest to pick the colors. I'm glad they're going back to the original yellow color, the greenish yellow and purple scheme began fading before too long. The past week, we learned that a painter was injured after falling 25 feet from a ladder while repainting Chang. We ended up waiting about half an hour, into the large queue area, as only one train was operating - it's possible one was out of order, or not being used while the paint job is underway. We ended up in the very back row, which, while intense, was still a great ride. After getting off, we noticed 4-5 Army soldiers in full dress uniform, always nice to see. The temperature neared 70, but I guess still comfortable, whether in shorts or in full sleves and pants.
Our next activity, T2, brught us one of the biggest surprises of the day: both trains in operation! While it is often a slow moving, low capacity ride, that really changes when another train is added, and we had little to no wait. This, however, should be expected, since new CEO Mark Shapiro had questioned the practice of ride vehicles being out of use, especially when there are long lines. This is possibly the second time I've ever seen T2 running... "T2."
Next to T2, we notice that Chaos was removed. The ride had suffered a lot of downtime, and was replaced with benches and trees, as it is now a designated smoking area. New this year, Six Flags parks have gone "smoke free," with the use of designated areas. While it is hard for a park in Kentucky to kick the habit, they may be doing a better job, with signage, more visible areas, and public address announcements - eventually, more and more guests will get a hold of the policy.
Walking towards the back of the park, to ride Twisted Twins, we noticed that the Penguin's Blizzard River was up and running, to our surprise. In addition, the pathway that goes by the Top Eliminator dragsters has been closed off, and according to the map, removed as an attraction. In the past few years, Top Eliminator was rarely open, as least to me. This then, took us underneath Thunder Run, which we'll come back to later. The other water ride, Mile High Falls, was also in operation. With the moderate temperatures, we chose not to get wet, as both water rides can get you drenched.
Only one side of Twisted Twins was open, Stella - as Lola was said to be undergoing some work. The one side, however, delivered a great, smooth ride. While it is one of the lowest rated CCI coasters, I think it's honestly underrated. Since Darlene and Adam had ridden Thunder Run earlier on, and they needed to process their passes, Brian and I did Thunder Run, which had a line down to the stairs. While Thunder Run is a great fast, and airtime filled woodie, its operation needs to be redone. They need to build a transfer track for a second train, which I think can be done. Its capacity isn't too "swift."
Roller Skater is a neatly designed Vekoma junior coaster, and we did that, mainly because I wanted to add it to my annual count. After that ride, I went in search for a good lunch-snack, which runs me to one of the biggest complaints of the day: food pricing has gone up. Yes, Papa John's (which started in Louisville over 20 years ago), is now the official pizza at Six Flags parks, but $6 is very pricey for a "large slice." Medium drinks cost close to $4. Even though I had a coupon with my Season Pass, it cost $7.50 for fried Oreos (which were good) and a medium drink. This seems to be going against what other parks have done for food and drink - Cedar Fair parks are charging 25¢ for cotton candy - and Holiday World, only 1-1/2 hours away, offers free unlimited soft drinks (and Voyage!). My problem is not with the gate pricing and season passes, but the overpriced parking (SFKK is exempt), food and drinks is a pain.
Some welcome changes, however, were the placement of restroom attendants, ensuring clean facilities. This was one of the bigger complaints about Six Flags parks, and they have thus responded. Also new this year is expanded live entertainemnent. Many of the Looney Tunes characters were present, new shows have been added, and parades are planned for this season, as well. One thing I find emphasized a little too much was the "45th Anniversary" thing. It's nice to celebrate the anniversary of their first park, Six Flags over Texas, but still a little overdone for a park that is less than 20 years old. We also noticed that Thrill Park Theater is now showing "The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera," which the Paramount Parks, include Kings Island, is also showing. Unfortunately, the simulator ride was closed, which means I'll have to wait a couple weeks to see it.
After eating, we an into Adam and Darlene again, as we headed to ride the Giant Wheel for a panoramic view of the park. Then, back over the "Damn Bridge" to the front for another ride on Hellevator, and some flat rides. Himalaya was fun, because they play a good mix of rock and country (plus the Vengaboys song that Six Flags recently made famous with Mr. Six). We also rode Enterprise and the Rainbow, before deciding to go to the back of the park again for another ride on T2 and then Twisted Twin Stella. Darlene and Adam parted ways, and Brian and I got a second ride on Chang. Since I love B&M coasters, a ride on Chang at SFKK is mandatory for me.
Before leaving for the day, Brian and I got two rides in on Greezed Lightnin', including one in the front car (I had the front row). I simply love this Schwarzkopf shuttle looper. This capped off a beautiful and exciting day at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, which is beginning to turn a new corner for the better - new experiences, and better guest service, even as we were leaving the park gate. I might head back to SFKK in May when I go to Holiday World, possibly for HoliWood Nights on Memorial Day weekend.
I bought my season pass online, and printed the vouchers at home, the night prior towards leaving. I took my friend Brian, who also followed the same procedure, and we left northern Cincinnati at around 9:30 am, arriving at the Kentucky Fair & Expo Center approximately at 11:30. There were a large amount of cars parked in front of the expo halls, as there was a Flea Market going on in the West Hall, but we ended up finding a space with a short walk to the park.
Walking in, security seemed more strict than they were last year, doing a more thorough search, making me empty out all my pockets of electronic items, camera, phone, and iPod nano included. Beyond that, the area was very festive and inviting, with balloons and even the new Six Flags "theme song" playing, and people and signs saying "Have a great 45th Anniversary!" The chain is celebrating its 45th anniversary, since Six Flags over Texas opened in 1961. This, however makes guests think Kentucky Kingdom itself opened in 1961, and not really in 1987 (before closing for 2 seaons after a bad first year). BUT there have been FAR more misleading claims made...
Brian and I soon made our way to the Season Pass processing center, which had a short line outside the door. Upon making our way, more were already in, while there were a LOT of employees working the cameras, so getting our passes was with little effort. Noting a short line, we went to Hellevator, which only had a one to two cycle wait, and only one of the 5 sections were out of order. Since I'm looking out on the vast Expo Center and the city beyond, I hardly notice wer're going to be dropped.
Since I haven't been on a coaster since November, I wanted to start off on a good one, so I chose to go to Greezed Lightnin'. We got in the second to last row, when we noticed that our friends Adam and Darlene were waiting in the back! Not only did we notice that there is a "new" loop, but also a "new" train: they were parts of the former Tidal Wave/Greased Lightning that ran at Marriott's/Paramount's Great America in California. You may recall that after being dismantled, it was bought by Six Flags Marine World as parts, but never rebuilt whole again. I noticed the train looked different, not only by its colors, but also its headrests, and the yellow markings on the lapbars (something frequently seen on lapbars/restraints at Kings Island). The ride, however, was of the same quality as before, with some good airtime sitting in the back.
The four of us went to ride Road Runner Express next, with a decent line. While it is a mouse with a lot of quick stops and lateral G's, it had some negative vertical G's as well. The frequently alternating view between Chang and Freedom Hall was fun, too. Right after our ride, we headed across the "Damn Bridge" to the larger section of the park towards Chang.
Earlier on, we learned that Chang was receiving a badly needed paint job, which would be of yellow track and blue supports. Some school children entered and won the contest to pick the colors. I'm glad they're going back to the original yellow color, the greenish yellow and purple scheme began fading before too long. The past week, we learned that a painter was injured after falling 25 feet from a ladder while repainting Chang. We ended up waiting about half an hour, into the large queue area, as only one train was operating - it's possible one was out of order, or not being used while the paint job is underway. We ended up in the very back row, which, while intense, was still a great ride. After getting off, we noticed 4-5 Army soldiers in full dress uniform, always nice to see. The temperature neared 70, but I guess still comfortable, whether in shorts or in full sleves and pants.
Our next activity, T2, brught us one of the biggest surprises of the day: both trains in operation! While it is often a slow moving, low capacity ride, that really changes when another train is added, and we had little to no wait. This, however, should be expected, since new CEO Mark Shapiro had questioned the practice of ride vehicles being out of use, especially when there are long lines. This is possibly the second time I've ever seen T2 running... "T2."
Next to T2, we notice that Chaos was removed. The ride had suffered a lot of downtime, and was replaced with benches and trees, as it is now a designated smoking area. New this year, Six Flags parks have gone "smoke free," with the use of designated areas. While it is hard for a park in Kentucky to kick the habit, they may be doing a better job, with signage, more visible areas, and public address announcements - eventually, more and more guests will get a hold of the policy.
Walking towards the back of the park, to ride Twisted Twins, we noticed that the Penguin's Blizzard River was up and running, to our surprise. In addition, the pathway that goes by the Top Eliminator dragsters has been closed off, and according to the map, removed as an attraction. In the past few years, Top Eliminator was rarely open, as least to me. This then, took us underneath Thunder Run, which we'll come back to later. The other water ride, Mile High Falls, was also in operation. With the moderate temperatures, we chose not to get wet, as both water rides can get you drenched.
Only one side of Twisted Twins was open, Stella - as Lola was said to be undergoing some work. The one side, however, delivered a great, smooth ride. While it is one of the lowest rated CCI coasters, I think it's honestly underrated. Since Darlene and Adam had ridden Thunder Run earlier on, and they needed to process their passes, Brian and I did Thunder Run, which had a line down to the stairs. While Thunder Run is a great fast, and airtime filled woodie, its operation needs to be redone. They need to build a transfer track for a second train, which I think can be done. Its capacity isn't too "swift."
Roller Skater is a neatly designed Vekoma junior coaster, and we did that, mainly because I wanted to add it to my annual count. After that ride, I went in search for a good lunch-snack, which runs me to one of the biggest complaints of the day: food pricing has gone up. Yes, Papa John's (which started in Louisville over 20 years ago), is now the official pizza at Six Flags parks, but $6 is very pricey for a "large slice." Medium drinks cost close to $4. Even though I had a coupon with my Season Pass, it cost $7.50 for fried Oreos (which were good) and a medium drink. This seems to be going against what other parks have done for food and drink - Cedar Fair parks are charging 25¢ for cotton candy - and Holiday World, only 1-1/2 hours away, offers free unlimited soft drinks (and Voyage!). My problem is not with the gate pricing and season passes, but the overpriced parking (SFKK is exempt), food and drinks is a pain.
Some welcome changes, however, were the placement of restroom attendants, ensuring clean facilities. This was one of the bigger complaints about Six Flags parks, and they have thus responded. Also new this year is expanded live entertainemnent. Many of the Looney Tunes characters were present, new shows have been added, and parades are planned for this season, as well. One thing I find emphasized a little too much was the "45th Anniversary" thing. It's nice to celebrate the anniversary of their first park, Six Flags over Texas, but still a little overdone for a park that is less than 20 years old. We also noticed that Thrill Park Theater is now showing "The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera," which the Paramount Parks, include Kings Island, is also showing. Unfortunately, the simulator ride was closed, which means I'll have to wait a couple weeks to see it.
After eating, we an into Adam and Darlene again, as we headed to ride the Giant Wheel for a panoramic view of the park. Then, back over the "Damn Bridge" to the front for another ride on Hellevator, and some flat rides. Himalaya was fun, because they play a good mix of rock and country (plus the Vengaboys song that Six Flags recently made famous with Mr. Six). We also rode Enterprise and the Rainbow, before deciding to go to the back of the park again for another ride on T2 and then Twisted Twin Stella. Darlene and Adam parted ways, and Brian and I got a second ride on Chang. Since I love B&M coasters, a ride on Chang at SFKK is mandatory for me.
Before leaving for the day, Brian and I got two rides in on Greezed Lightnin', including one in the front car (I had the front row). I simply love this Schwarzkopf shuttle looper. This capped off a beautiful and exciting day at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, which is beginning to turn a new corner for the better - new experiences, and better guest service, even as we were leaving the park gate. I might head back to SFKK in May when I go to Holiday World, possibly for HoliWood Nights on Memorial Day weekend.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
NEWS: Cedar Point "mystery song" identified!
Last year, before the park opened, I had a hankering for music from Cedar Point, I was just months into having my first iPod, and the iTunes Music Store just a few clicks away.
There was this one instrumental jazz song with steel drums that played on the midways, no lyrics, and therefore was very obscure.
Before the season started, I e-mailed Cedar Point to see if they knew what it was called. Unfortunately, I did not get a reply... (or so I thought.)
Eventually, May 2005 had arrived, and so did the new ride, maXair. I heard the song once again as maXair roared above me, but still no idea who did the song. I did a video recording, which I took audio from, and posted on my website as well as on the forums on PointBuzz... still no answer.
Then came March 30, 2006: today. My webmail was acting slower and slower than ever, and word was that I was getting my emails bounced, as a coaster buddy from Pennsylvania called me on my cell phone tonight. This was a sign that I should move me e-mail to another application.
I decided to give the application "Mail" on my iMac a try. Within minutes, I was away, deleting old emails that were either spam or no longer needed.
Then I came across one of the e-mails that I thought I had never received, from Cedar Point.
And, so, here's the text of the e-mail:
I immediately began searching the iTunes Music Store. John directed me to the right album and artist, but not exactly the right song. However, I clicked on some of the songs, and the fourth one was suddenly a direct hit.
Song: Hideaway
Album: Brave New World
Artist: Russ Freeman and/or the Rippingtons
Here is the link.
I feel so complete, as of right now. I'm going to celebrate by going to Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom on Saturday... Not exactly Cedar Point, but okay.
There was this one instrumental jazz song with steel drums that played on the midways, no lyrics, and therefore was very obscure.
Before the season started, I e-mailed Cedar Point to see if they knew what it was called. Unfortunately, I did not get a reply... (or so I thought.)
Eventually, May 2005 had arrived, and so did the new ride, maXair. I heard the song once again as maXair roared above me, but still no idea who did the song. I did a video recording, which I took audio from, and posted on my website as well as on the forums on PointBuzz... still no answer.
Then came March 30, 2006: today. My webmail was acting slower and slower than ever, and word was that I was getting my emails bounced, as a coaster buddy from Pennsylvania called me on my cell phone tonight. This was a sign that I should move me e-mail to another application.
I decided to give the application "Mail" on my iMac a try. Within minutes, I was away, deleting old emails that were either spam or no longer needed.
Then I came across one of the e-mails that I thought I had never received, from Cedar Point.
And, so, here's the text of the e-mail:
Dear Mr. Allen,
Your question regarding the "smooth/lite jazz-like tune that has a guitar leading the main tune, which seems to switch between the guitar and something else" was forwarded to me for a response.
Frankly, I didn't think there was any way we could answer your question, but our Ace Jazzman Technical Manager, John Lyle, came up with what he's pretty sure is the answer:
BRAVE NEW WORLD from the BRAVE NEW WORLD album by Russ Freeman and/or the Rippingtons
If that's not it, three other songs by Lee Ritenour might be the one you're looking for:
GOIN' TO DETROIT on the WES BOUND album
A LITTLE BUMPIN' on the WES BOUND album
RED BARON on the HAPPY ANNIVERSARY,CHARLIE BROWN album
All four of the songs are great, so I don't think you'll be sorry if you go buy any or all of them.
Enjoy,
Marje Rody, Vice President
Cedar Point Live Entertainment
I immediately began searching the iTunes Music Store. John directed me to the right album and artist, but not exactly the right song. However, I clicked on some of the songs, and the fourth one was suddenly a direct hit.
Song: Hideaway
Album: Brave New World
Artist: Russ Freeman and/or the Rippingtons
Here is the link.
I feel so complete, as of right now. I'm going to celebrate by going to Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom on Saturday... Not exactly Cedar Point, but okay.
Visionland is now Alabama Adventure... What if?
Visionland theme park, located in Bessemer, Alabama, has been renamed "Alabama Adventure."
I assume that the name change is based on two things:
- To better market the park to the region, so people have a general idea where it is
- What the hell did the "Vision" part of 'Visionland' mean?
So, here's my latest "What If?" entry:
What if they kept the Vision name, and became a large chain that acquired other parks?
Here's their potential names:
I assume that the name change is based on two things:
- To better market the park to the region, so people have a general idea where it is
- What the hell did the "Vision" part of 'Visionland' mean?
So, here's my latest "What If?" entry:
What if they kept the Vision name, and became a large chain that acquired other parks?
Here's their potential names:
- Visionland
- Vision Gardens
- Vision Adventures
- Vision Kingdom
- Visioncot
- Vision Studios
- Vision Island
- Vision Dominion
- Visionwinds
- Vision America
- Vision Wonderland
- Vision Point
- Vision Lake
- Vision Park
- Visionfair!
- Vision Fun
- Vision Berry Farm
- Vision World
- Vision Beach
- Vision Mountain
- Vision Adventure
- Visionwood
- Vision Grove
- Visionpark
- Vision over Texas
- Vision over Georgia
- Vision St. Louis
- Vision New England
Saturday, March 25, 2006
A Universe in the Making
Check out "A Universe in the Making," Ronny Salerno's video documenting the construction tour at Kings Island held back on February 25, as well as the dinner and meeting at International Restaurant.
You'll get to see lots of dirt, lots of people, the picnic grove, ride units in storage, my fat ass, and much more.
You'll have to see the video to guess which fat ass is me. I'm not seen in this shot.
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