Mini TR: Kings Island
Friday, July 4, 2008
“That’s a long walk…”
Another quick TR. Got to the park right as Wallenda was riding up a bucket truck outside the front gate to walk the wire. Watched from outside metal detection from the start there until he was crossing over the IR, then quickly went through detection and the front gate. Watched from just insde the gate until he was midway down the fountain, then scurried down to the Tower end to watch the rest.
Went over through Nick to Rivertown and got construction photos, then rode Beast. I just grabbed a decent seat near the middle of the train, ran pretty well. Got off and it was time for the next walk already.
Watched the entire second walk from next to the IS Bandstand. It was sprinkling and gray, but no problems. Joined the rush to under the Tower after and got a hat, shirt and picture signed.
Got a handstamp and dumped everything in the car except my camera, spare card and spare batteries, and went back into the park. It took talking to the Head of Security but I was able to get my tripod in for the fireworks. I got a cheese coney at Skyline in Coney Mall, then picked up my tripod and set up in front of the fountains for the fireworks at 10.
To make sure I got a good spot I got there 45 minutes early, so I had to stand there a while after I got set up. Adam Kaplan showed up with Phil and a couple others, so we waited out the last bit of time before the show started, then watched the fireworks while I photographed them.
After the show, we had been told the park was staying open until midnight, so as soon as the fireworks were over and I’d broken down the tripod, we headed over to Action Zone and then toward Adventure Express, but found out along the way that the park was closed at 10 after all. So we walked around a bit, looping through Oktoberfest and then Nick Universe before coming out at the front gate. We knew the lot would be a mess so to kill time we proceeded to walk all the way over to Great Wolf Lodge, where we sat down in some comfy chairs overlooking the indoor waterpark, which was closed for the night.
After a while we walked back, then after talking in the entrance plaza for a while, we were the last guests to leave the entrance plaza as they were closing the last of the front gates for the night.
By now the lot was clear enough, so we headed out to our respective vehicles and headed home.
Rides List
The Beast
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