Company Picnic at Kings Island
Kings Island: Cheryl Sammons shares a day at the Mason, Ohio park.
What a day! On June 19 my company had it's annual summer picnic at Paramount Kings Island in Mason, Ohio. We arrived at 10 am and found a relatively close place to park in Drop 39, just outside the preferred parking area. Close by any standards. We entered the gates and were met by smiling employees greeting us and asking us to pose for pictures. Then we immediately took off for the Beast. We just knew that there was going to be a long wait as there usually was for such a great ride. (5 out of 5 for the ride thrills). After only waiting for about 20 minutes we were on our way up the hill. Clack, clack, clack and then wooosh. Hills and tunnels and the most beautiful scenery you can imagine from the top of the hill overlooking Kings Island. Then off to Vortex. Another short wait (less than 15 minutes) and another heart stopping, breath catching ride. This one too rated high on the thrills. Trying to choose which ride to go to next was vexing. We decided to go to the Son of Beast. Surely this mamoth ride was going to have long waiting lines. We were in line for about 1 hour and then it was out time. And our time had come for sure! This ride was alot like it's father - the Beast but jerked us around more. Then it was time for lunch. We went to the private picnic grounds for our companies lunch and ate with everyone at the Flintstones Shelterhouse. Lunch was served by very friendly servers and everyone made us feel welcome. Most important is they all had smiles on their faces! What a pleasure to see people doing their job and loving it. After lunch we parted and I went shopping (there are some things that the husband just won't do) and he took his daughter on more rides. I visited all the shops on the main walkway. I slowly took in the smells and sounds of the fountains. What a beautiful place to be. I enjoyed the openness of the shops. They are all linked together by doors so that if its raining outside, you don't have to get wet. Just start on one end and shop till you drop (or in my case run out of shops). I purchased small items for the grandkids who we left at home. Then it was time to find a place for dinner. Finding a place where all would find something to eat was going to be a problem. But I thought Bubba Gumps or Wings would be a good choice. I finally caught up with the husband and daughter. They had been to the Drop Zone. They didn't like the wait. It was almost 2 1/2 hours till they got on the ride. But for a beautiful day, it's the only ride that had a long line. Then it was off to Congo Falls. Just to cool off of course. No line there! We walked down and immediately got on the next boat. The persons operating the ride were very helpful in taking items and setting them aside so they wouldn't get wet. And all the signs leading up to the ride guaranteed 'you will get wet on this ride'. And boy did we. If the ride didn't get you wet enough, then crossing the bridge to leave the area was sure to finish the job. Especially if you were talking about the ride and not paying attention to the boat getting ready to come down the chute. There were alot of laughs and smile there. But then again, that's what we were there for. Then off to the next water ride. White Water Canyon. The line was about 45 minutes long, but the company of the people in line made it seem shorter. Talking about past trips and all the things to make sure to see that were new made the wait seem shorter. The trip through the canyon took about 10 minutes. But what a ride! We were rocking the boat and trying to get it to turn so those who were so sure that they weren't going to get wet, got wet was fantastic. In the end we all were soaked and spent the next hour or so walking around in slushy, spongy shoes. We all were squeaking. then after 10 or so hours there it was time to leave. We didn't know if we had the strength to walk back to the car. But we sure were looking forward to the drive home. Our daughter fell asleep almost immediately upon entering the car, and mom wasn't far behind. Dad was left to drive and occassionly he would ask me if I was sleeping. Nope, not me. But there was a smile on my face. Today I have a sunburn. Not bad, but maybe a little darker than pink. But oh, those memories of how I got the sunburn. Would I go again, yes, just as soon as I get my sea legs back. And rest up from the sunburn. This time I think I'll go towards evening. I want to see all the shops lit up at night.
Son of Beast is the only ride to ever make me go sit down until the pain went away.
Son of Beast is the only ride to ever completely ruin a day at a park for me. The pain didn't go away for a week...
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