Ever Meet Kinzel?

Haha by my accounts he's a very nice man. I saw him more mornings than not the summer (2002) that I worked in Guest Services. He often came through our inside gate in the morning. Tyler from Tony & Tyler was our team lead. He's a great guy too. (I giggled when I read about someone "meeting" him).

The Guest Services Crew went out at the bay harbor inn for dinner for the birthday of 2 of our team members, and Mr. Kinzel was there. He bought all of us dessert. We thought it was a very nice gesture!!!

Yeah, I knew him when he was a food services manager,

thirty-three years ago.

^ That's cool. Did you think he'd be the guy who would be running the whole show one day?

I used to see him and Mr. Falfas on the midway all the time but since the purchase of the additional parks I don't see them as much. I usually see John H. , Bob W. and Matt O. everyday on the midways or up at a ride though.

I thought he was a nice guy. Always said hi when we crossed paths.

Gave me a little shock once at Fountain Custard. While I was calling in for something, he popped up at the window. My staff member left her window for a moment so he was unattended so I jumped in. He ordered for himself and wife (I pretty sure) and walked away with a smile. For the next hour I was waiting for one of my bosses to call up and tell me something went wrong. He’s the one guy you want happy around you! I also got to sit behind him for 20 minutes on a TTD ride night. They couldn’t get us into unload so we sat there. He just cracked jokes with the ride op’s.

Mr. H was easy to see every morning around 8 to 9. He would drive around the park before opening. He always said hi or waved. Only thing he ever asked me to do was change a trash can out Which I was questioned about from my supervisors when they saw me doing it. But they had no issue when I told them who told me to do it. Before anyone brings it up, ALL employees are supposed to pick up anything considered garbage at all times. But a full trash can (which shouldn’t and doesn’t happen to often) gets called in and taken care of quickly by a different department.

I have he was really nice and asked us how are day was.

HalloWeekends! said:
^ That's cool. Did you think he'd be the guy who would be running the whole show one day?

Nope

I saw him in the park last May on his way down to Maverick. He stopped for a few minutes to talk to us about our day and where we were from. My wife was there with me. We both work at another one of the CF parks and when he visited our park, my general manager was with him in my area and stopped me to introduce me to him, but he didn't need to. Kinzel has an awesome memory and remembered my and my wife from CP. We are talking about a two month period between meeting at CP and seeing me again. He is a great guy to meet and talk to and tries to take time out for anyone he can.

I've seen Kinzel 4 times out and about. Once with his wife in Friday's 3 years ago. Next time I talked to him on the Oceana Midway during Halloweekends. He was with an exec (forgot his name). Talked to him opening day of Maverick this year in regards to my satisfaction with ride choice. Then later that day he was at Fridays in the banquet room in the back having dinner with a very large group that appeared to be family. He seems to be a regular fixture in the park even during non working hours. Wouldn't you if you had that playground in your backyard? I remember watching the special "The world's largest amusement park" on the Discovery channel and it stuck in my mind how connected he is to the park. He was so proud that he could walk out of the front door of his office and be right on the midway with his guests.

So basically what you are saying is Dick Kinzel spends most of his time in Fridays and not on the midway.......is that right?

Of course....he saw him momentarily 4 times, and twice in Fridays. So that must mean those 2 times in the park were within an hour of each other, and the other 23 hours of the day were spent at Fridays.

I wonder if he gets to eat for free in Fridays?

I've talked to him many, many times, and he is a great guy.

I saw him at Kings Island .... lol

http://www.kiextreme.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-4176

They must have a Fridays at Kings Island.

nope never met him in person, but "seen" him driving his car through the park before opening once. Oh I would love to do that! i would try and race TTD!

i got to meet him on my orientation day when i worked there in 04 and again on one of my off days walking around by top thrill dragster. he's a really nice guy

I waved at him as I passed his office, and he waved back =]

He waved back! Oh boy!

In the parks, he seems like such a nice guy, but when I saw him at IAAPA, he was pure business. I was lucky to actually have a conversation with him, but he seemed like a totally different person from the warm bubbly guy I've seen at the parks.
Edit: and I LOVE pancakes!

That's because outside of the park he doesn't want to talk to the seasonal employees. He only speaks to you in the park to make you feel like you are important to the operation. Sounds like you met the real Dick. If you know what I mean. And I think you do.