Fans say parks should keep unique ways

Friday, 26 May 2006

By BENJAMIN ROODE
benjaminroode@sanduskyregister.com

SANDUSKY - For the thrill ride and roller coaster enthusiast, King's Island and Cedar Point are vastly different worlds.

Cedar Point is a coaster-lover's heaven with 16 different thrillers that allow anyone, novice, intermediate and advanced riders, to enjoy their day at the park, according to the president of the Great Ohio Coaster Club Michael Burkes.

Kings Island doesn't have that stepping-stone approach, he said -- it's all thrill rides for Greater Cincinnati.

But what the Island lacks in intermediate and beginner coasters it gains in kiddy entertainment, with the award winning Nickelodeon Universe and Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera.

The two parks, and two park chains in Cedar Fair and Paramount Parks, have distinct airs to them -- airs coaster fans hope Cedar Fair maintains after announcing it would buy the rival amusement company earlier this week.

"We're hoping Cedar (Fair) will give each park its own personality," Burkes said. "There's a fear that all three (Cedar Point, Geauga Lake and Kings Island) will blend in with each other. We're hoping that doesn't happen."

After buying then-Six Flags Worlds of Adventure in 2004, Cedar Fair installed a more friendly customer service plan and cleaned the park up nicely, Burkes said. A new water park where Sea World used to rest also shows Cedar Fair is making its presence felt in Aurora, Ohio, he said.

Coaster fans want Cedar Fair to build up the coaster base at each park but focus some time on Kings Island. The Island, with its 12 coasters (three children's coasters) compared to Cedar Point's 16 (with two children's coasters) needs some shaping up, said Sylvania's Chris Woodard.

"It'd be nice to see a few more thrill rides mixed with the family stuff," said Woodard, who's been to Kings Island three or four times in his life, including last year.

Kings Island's larger emphasis on kids' rides, combined with Cedar Point's massive thrill ride potential, make the parks a good fit for each other, Burkes said.

"Both parks complement each other," he said.

Keeping the parks different but complementary, while building up a coaster base, makes another wish, a universal Ohio park pass, much more lucrative to thrill seekers.

Fans desperately want a three-park Ohio pass -- a season pass granting admittance to Cedar Point, Geauga lake and King's Island, so they can justify traveling to parks they might not see as much if they're a park purist, Woodard, from Sylvania, said.

"I really expect they'll do it," he said. "I just wonder how much the extra cost will be."

Cedar Fair officials have hinted at including Kings Island in a state-wide pass but have not made any commitments just yet. Those who have Cedar Point season passes can get into any other Cedar Fair park in the country.

Kaman said he will definitely be checking out Cedar Fair's Ohio acquisition no matter what the cost.

"I'm really interested to see what they'll do with the park," he said. "It'd be great if the same type of program applied here."

The first move for Cedar Fair at Kings Island should be a new Bolliger and Mabillard coaster; that company built Cedar Point's Raptor, Burkes said.

"They're considered the Cadillac of coasters," he said.

FunCoast.com is your online guide to summer fun for Cedar Point, the LakeErie Islands and Sandusky area. Our site offers up-to-date information on area attractions, restaurants, hotels, gasoline prices, ferry schedules, swimming, birding and fishing, along with a complete listing of events happening in the Sandusky/Cedar Point area. To use our Webcam and zoom in on Cedar Point's rollercoasters, go to http://funcam.funcoast.com

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