Thursday June 21 2013

First trip in a couple years. I'll do highlights only.

Main Gate
We typically have gone in the Magnum gate, but owing to the total revamp up front, we went in the front. The new gate and entrance looks fantastic and modern. I'm sure it will really help with the heavy traffic that comes with Halloweekends.

Joe Cool Cafe
Doesn't matter what this place is called, the service stinks. Took way too long to get our food, which was all very simple grilled/fried stuff. Kids meals could feed a village of children with their ridiculous size.

Gemini, Magnum, and Raptor
All had great operating crews. Dispatches were very fast. Glad to see that the high standards for operations are still there.

Dinosaurs Alive
I've been to the one at Kings Island, and expected this to be much, much more compacted at CP. This was definitely true given the space constraints of the island. The animatronics were mostly working, but I really wonder if the CP family crowd can support this the way they have at KI. The T-Rex at the end is surrounded by Millennium Force, and it feels weird. They fit in better in the setting at KI.

CP & LE Railroad
There were more working animatronics in Boneville than I can remember in the past 15 years. Kudos to the maintenance department.

Midway Market
Shame on us for eating here. Still an overpriced buffet. At least they did away with the waiter/waitresses that brought you only drinks and wanted a tip. The buffet has no fruit?! Only fruit was the plastic decorations. How hard is it to have some fruit? Not busy and tables were still dirty.

GateKeeper
15 minute wait at 6:30PM. Was a 90 minute wait in the morning. A fun ride which is a good addition to the park's line up. However, it is hard to live up to the standards of so many outstanding coasters. My first wing coaster, but reminded me of Sheikra (Dive Machine) in that the elements are very big and feel slow because the train is so big. Landscaping and area redesign look absolutely terrific. The park looks better than it ever has.

Future
I think it will be at least 5 years before there is another coaster addition. There simply is no need for it. My vote would be for a full renovation of the colosseum building for dark ride/other attraction of some sort. I believe the 2nd floor is still unused for various reasons and the arcade is a decade and a half out of date.

Chuck Wagon said:
My vote would be for a full renovation of the colosseum building for dark ride/other attraction of some sort. I believe the 2nd floor is still unused for various reasons and the arcade is a decade and a half out of date.

I agree! I doubt the low ceilings and multiple, closly placed support collums on the 1st floor would allow a dark ride, but the second floor is a coplete waste of space. With the experience Matt brings from Disney, it would be nice to see a Peanuts themed dinner show up there...or something.

The ballroom is used for inrpocessing, makeup for halloweekends and also various corporate stuff for gold tags throughout the season. Also this is still one of the few hidden small gems the park has kept over the years, and mgmt really is proud of it, I doubt it's going anywhere

The ballroom is a "hidden small gem"?

I agree with just about everything Chuck said on the topics he mentioned at the beginning. But I want to add customer service throughout the park that bothers me. I have a platinum pass and of course I know the perks that you get with them as well. But what about the passholders that dont know???? If an employee works somewhere in the park that offers perks for platinum passholders, they should at least ask if you have one even if you don't. I always have to tell them that I have platinum pass to enjoy the perk whether if it's games,food,or a shirt. You have to sell the product completely in order to get it's maximum potential out of customers.Believe me I didn't buy a plat. pass pass for me and my daughter for just early entry and ert's because early is a first come first serve basis anymore,a good percentage owns a plat. pass. They have a lot of perks out there for everyone to enjoy. On that note....Have a safe summer and RIDE ON!!!!!!

How many things from the very early years of CP still stand? That in itself is worth keeping hisorically. It's also quite impressive to go through if you ever have a chance. Also like I said, we do use it more than you think, it doesn't just sit there