Published: 17 Sep 2026

From the Previous Chapter:

Upstairs, the boys all met in Collin’s room. There they asked him if he was going to meet up with Jasmine, tomorrow. His response was, that he was looking forward to seeing her again.

Collin then explained to his ‘brothers’ that Jasmine is the kind of woman that he would like to find to marry. He told them that Jasmine was gentle, soft spoken, funny, and she had something about her, that first time he met her, that ‘spoke’ to him.

With everyone getting up early again, Collin then sent his ‘brothers’ to their rooms. Everyone, including the adults, were all in bed by ten-thirty. They all slept well, as they were all tired from two fast days of walking, and riding.

When the boys finally made it down to the lobby with their bags, the next day, they were all yawning, as they waited for the limo. The adults, Mr. Ken, Mr. Wayne, Mr. Dennis, Ms. Kate and Ms. Edith just smiled at them, while drinking their cup of coffee.

They rode to the airport in quiet and even the plane ride to their next stop was subdued. At least the previous night, Mr. Ken and Collin did make a few changes to who would fly in which airplane. In the Gulfstream G350 would be Mr. Ken, Ms. Kate, Ms. Edith, Rusty, Jessy, Robert, Eric and Charles. That was because the G350 could handle more people comfortably.

In Collin’s plane Darrin was totally surprised at the opulence as compared to the Gulfstream. Yes, the G350 was outfitted nicely, but the corporate aircraft to Darrin had a much richer feel to it with the darker woods, better leather seats and the extras at each seat. After boarding Darrin took a window seat and from there, he watched the countryside pass by, underneath him, as they all headed to their destination.

Upon landing, the boys helped with the bags and then they all used the restroom. And just like the last two stops, there were two vans and two rental cars which they used to immediately head to their hotel.

At the hotel Mr. Ken was able to again get early access to their six rooms. Collin spoke up and asked if Robert could bunk in with him this time around. So, with that, ‘dad’ Ken had Billy, Eric, Matthew, and Darrin in the teen’s room and Phillip staying with Mr. Wayne and Charles bunking in with Mr. Dennis.

With room assignments made, the boys got the luggage trolly’s and then took all of the bags to the appropriate room. Everyone then took about ten minutes, or so, to get settled in their room before meeting back down in the lobby. Today, though, the plan was for them to all head out to Discovery Kingdom and out there they could get a bite to eat if they were hungry.

On the ride over to the amusement park, the vans were quiet as the boys were still a bit tired from all the rushing around that they did the past two days. In Mr. Ken’s rental car, Edith told him that flying in the corporate plane was nice, but with eight people on board it felt crowded. She also said that the Gulfstream they flew in that morning felt more spacious for some reason. Ken told her that it was probably because their plane was for 14 passengers verses the nine travelers that Collin’s plane was designed for.

Again, the vans followed Mr. Ken’s car to the employee entrance and down to in front of the operations building, where two people were waiting outside.

All the boys stretched once they got out of the vans, and that was to get their bodies to wake up knowing that they were now at the amusement park. ‘Dad’ Ken motioned for them to join on him and then the group approached the two people standing in front of the operations building.

“Mr. Thomas,” called out a woman, as she stood waiting for him to approach her, “welcome back, and I see you have a few new faces with you,” offered Julia Rennartz, Discovery Kingdom’s operations manager.

“Julia, I hope you had a good Christmas, and, yes, I do have a few new faces with me. Let me first introduce you to my fiancée, Kate,” began Ken Thomas.

“Welcome Kate … Ben had told me about your engagement, and I want to congratulate you both. And who else do you have with you?” finished Julia.

“Julia, this is Edith, Kate’s mother, and these two boys are Kate’s sons, Rusty and Jessy. I also have a new foster son. Darrin come on over and meet the woman who runs Discovery Kingdom for me,” was how Mr. Ken introduced the rest of the new faces to Ms. Rennartz.

“It is great to have all of you here with us, and I know you will thoroughly enjoy our park. And Mr. Ken … I want you to meet my new assistant ops manager, Wade Phillips,” declared the operations manager.

After the two men met and shook hands, Mr. Ken said, “And Julia … I think you know who this is,” teased the man, as he brought Collin up to the woman.

“Yes, I sure do, and I know that there is a certain young lady who is anxiously waiting for him to arrive,” teased Julia.

“Julia, we’ve already visited Fantasy Fun Park and Mountain Top, and I hope I have saved the best for last to show my fiancée and her mother,” teased the park’s owner, Ken Thomas.

“Well, let’s get this show on the road. I know all the boys are anxious to get on the rides. So, Julia, I’ll need someone to escort my little group to the FFF Booth to get them their Fastest Passes and to get Edith her power chair for her to use during the day,” stated Ken Thomas, the park’s owner.

Julia told the group that Wade would escort them over to the FFF Booth and while they were getting their passes, he would get the power chair for Ms. Edith.

As the group began to walk off, Ken asked Kate to again get her and the boys passes and that he’d meet her out in the park after he talked with Julia for a few minutes. The two hugged and shared a kiss, with the boys smiling up at them, and then Kate, Edith and the two boys walked quickly to catch up to the others.

As the group walked to the FFF Booth, Jasmine came out and grabbed Collin’s hand. The two of them walked hand-in-hand to the FFF Booth. When Kate arrived with her two boys, Collin introduced his girlfriend to his Big Bro’s fiancée.

“Jasmine … I want you to meet Ms. Kate. She’s my Big Bro’s fiancée. They got engaged back in early November,” was the way the college junior introduced the two women.

“I’m very happy to meet you, Jasmine. Collin … he’s told us some about you, but maybe us girls … maybe we can get together, before I leave later today, and do some ‘girl’ talk. Will Ms. Rennartz … will she be mad if we do that?” now asked Kate.

Jasmine told Kate that she didn’t think that she’d be upset if they sat down and talked. The young college woman said that especially, since she’s the park owner’s fiancée and will be back here in the years to come as his wife. The two women then laughed, with Collin listening on.

As the large group had the Fastest Passes and began going out into the park, Ken Thomas sat down with Julia Rennartz to talk about the park. One of the issues that he asked Julia about was if she had purchased additional trash receptacles and was changing them out with the fresh clean ones and washing the dirty ones, so they would be ready to change out the next time.

Julia indicated that she took his directions from the Fall Meeting to heart and has implemented everything that he asked for them to do.

Mr. Ken then asked her how the installation of the new floorless coaster was coming along. Julia, as had Joseph and Clayton, told Ken that the people had fallen in love with the peep-holes in the fencing. The ops manager then told the owner that she had thought about building a raised platform in places, so that more people could stand and get a better look over the construction, as it proceeds.

Julia then had Wade Phillips come in to their meeting, so that she could better introduce the new assistant operations manager and the owner and Wade could get to know one another.

As the large group walked out of the FFF Booth, Darrin asked if they could focus on the roller coasters first, and then come back to the other rides. The teen told everyone that since this was his first trip there, he wanted to experience the larger rides before the lessor ones. The teen’s ‘brothers’ agreed with his thinking.

The first coaster the group came to was called, the Figure Eight. This coaster was different from the one they rode at Fantasy Fun Park, as this wooden coaster went back and forth in a figure eight pattern rather than being an out and back as the Comet had. The older teens had ridden it multiple times already, and couldn’t tell Darrin enough about how much fun they thought it was.

The group of ten activated their Fastest Passes and they didn’t have to wait for any length of time, as all of the ride operators knew that the park’s owner and his family would be there today. Plus, the ride operator remembered Charles, as the one who flew the quad-copter over the ride when he was there during the summer.

Darrin opted for the first car, first seat and everyone else filled in behind him before the ride operator opened the turnstiles to allow the people in line to join the Covers on the ride. Matthew sat with his ‘brother’ up front this time.

The coaster train rode to the top of the lift hill, went around a turn then raced down the following hill. It quickly raced up the next hill only to turn to race down another hill. Some parts of the track had small bunny hills that added to the fun of the ride. The coaster had seven hills of different heights that the train went over before coming back to the station house. The ride felt fast and there lots of airtime, where Darrin felt himself coming off the coaster seat.

All of the Covers loved it, especially Darrin, who wanted to ride it again. But Mr. Wayne asked them to wait and come black, so they don’t upset more people than they already had by jumping the line, as they had. They boys readily agreed, and they headed to another ride.

The next ride was going to be a steel coaster called the Demon. It didn’t look too bad to Darrin, as he went with his ‘brothers’ up the exit and waited for the train to return, which wasn’t too long after it was dispatched.

This coaster featured a single loop and a double corkscrew. The actual ride time was very short, as the roller coaster completed the 2,350-foot run, including the lift hill, in approximately 48 seconds. The ride only had one 28-seat train due to lack of block brakes, because it was an older coaster first installed back in 1978.

The Covers took their seats, but this time Robert decided to ride with Darrin and instead of them riding in the first car, first seat, they rode in the second car first seat. That put them, still pretty much, up front. The coaster train slowly rose up the first hill and as the train went over the top the Cover’s heard Phillip scream as it raced down the first hill and then his laughs during the rest of the ride.

“What made you scream?” a smiling Darrin asked Phillip.

“I don’t know. I’ve ridden a ride like this before and I think … I think it caught me off guard as went down that first hill. But at least I was laughing during the rest of the time.”

As the larger group was riding coasters, Kate, Edith and the two younger boys headed over to the Ferris wheel. This one was only 90 feet high as it was one of the original rides erected when the park opened back in the late 1960s. The women felt that The Ferris wheel would give a chance to look over some more of the park to decide where they could go for the boys to ride.

After the Ferris wheel ride was over Kate, Edith and the two boys headed over to the Sports Cars. The Sports Cars would allow the boys to drive the sporty vehicle over a track, but the vehicle had limits as to how far right or left it could travel, so it wouldn’t go off course.

The boys looked forward to being able to drive their own sports car without an adult in the car with them. Rusty went first and then he was followed by Jessy. The vehicles didn’t go very fast, but the boys did have to focus to keep the car on course. Rusty did very well, while Jessy did let his sports car get to far right or left a few times, but the safety built in kept him on track.

The five then headed to another kid friendly ride. This one was the Carousel where all five could ride. By now, Ken had finished his dealing with Julia and Wade, and he had the new ops manager drive him over to where Kate and the boys were.

The boys were happy to see Mr. Ken, when he arrived, and they both hugged the man. Kate also hugged him, but she also kissed him, too. And since they were all at the Carousel, they all went to the exit to ride. But when they went to ride, the ride attendant told them they would have to wait about ten minutes before their Fastest Passes would allow them to ride.

But Mr. Ken told them that they would ride next, to the chagrin of the person running the ride. Mr. Ken then asked the ride operator if he knew who he was. The operator said that he didn’t.

Mr. Ken pointed to his shirt and asked him if that told him anything. The attendant told him that anyone can have a shirt like that made and that they would have to wait. The operator then went to open the regular line queue. Ken quickly pulled out his radio and called Julia. He was not a happy person when she came on the radio.

By the time both Julia Rennartz and Wade Phillips arrived at the Carousel the ride had begun and the parks owner, his fiancée, her sons and her mother were waiting outside the exit. Ken Thomas was steaming to say the least.

As the parks operations manager and her assistant approached Mr. Ken, the owner of the park, didn’t get to say a word as Mr. Ken spoke, “Julia … your employees … they are supposed to know who I am! This person is flippant and doesn’t even care that I am the owner. He told me that anyone could get this shirt made and then he let us standing there. Where is the area ride supervisor?”

As Mr. Ken was speaking, Wade was on the radio asking for the area ride supervisor to head to the Carousel immediately. And all Julia could do was just stand there wishing she was somewhere else.

When the ride was over, the ride operator had the riders get off the ride and it was then that Julia called the ride operator over to talked to him; outside of earshot of Mr. Ken.

The area ride supervisor, plus other ride supervisors came to the Carousel wanting to know what was wrong. Upon arriving, they all saw the owner of the park there along with the parks operations manager and her assistant, and they knew right away that there was probably a big problem.

After to the ride operator, whom was not only new to the position, but who was also a new employee at the park, Julia profusely apologized to the owner for the problem he caused.

All Ken Thomas said to her was, “Julia … this is not acceptable to me, or my family when we are here! It better not EVER, and I repeat EVER happen again! Now, we will ride the next ride and the ride operators … they all better know who I am and when I say that I am on the NEXT RIDE … I AM ON THE NEXT RIDE!”

Mr. Ken, Kate, Edith, Rusty and Jessy loaded onto the ride before anyone else was allowed to. Some of the people in line heard some of the conversation, particularly when Mr. Ken said something to the effect that he would be on the next ride, and that he was very adamant about it.

The ride supervisors also heard what the owner had said and they quickly headed to their areas of responsibility and began telling their ride attendants about Mr. Ken being in the park and that when he says he and his family would be on the next ride they better make sure that he is.

Darrin’s ‘brothers’ steered him towards another wooden roller coaster, The Stagecoach. It was a coaster somewhat like the Comet that they rode two days ago, but this one was much higher and longer. Darrin saw that it was a much bigger wooden coaster and he was looking forward to riding it.

The Covers went up the exit to activate their passes, but they learned that they didn’t have to wait, as many Fastest Pass holder would have. The ride operators knew exactly who Robert and Charles were from when they were there last summer.

The attendants knew that they were the owner’s sons and the rest of the people with them were either honorary family members, or friends of the family, but it didn’t matter, as they all had Fastest Passes and would ride together, no matter what.

When the Covers loaded onto the coaster train. Darrin decided to try the very back most seats. But Mr. Wayne directed him towards the middle seats explaining to the teenager that the back seat would give him a rougher ride.

The teen Cover told the Estate Master that the only way he would know for himself, if the last seat was rough, or fun, was to sit back there and experience it. Darrin then asked Mr. Wayne to ride it with him. So that’s where the two Covers sat.

As the coaster train headed up the lift hill the Covers got an entirely different view of the park. As most roller coasters are situated along the outer edges of the property line the boys saw the parking lot to their right and the rest of the park to their left.

Darrin was enjoying the first hills 125 feet height. As he rode it up, he saw so much more of the park and he was now looking forward to riding more of the rides there. As he was looking out over the park, the train went over the top of the hill and began going down the 78-degree slope.

Going over the top caught the teen Cover by surprise and being in the last car, last seat he felt being thrown up in his seat some and then rushing down the 115-foot slope before leveling out and then rushing up the next hill. This coaster was an out and back, like the Comet, but it was longer and it had many more hills on it.

After that first hill, Darrin found himself getting more airtime over the hills and he felt himself being thrown back and forth as the track wasn’t exactly straight and there was some space between the side wheels which allowed the cars to slide, or slip, back and forth some and being at the end car, that movement was exaggerated there.

When the coaster came back into the station, there were lots of whoops and hollering at how much all the riders enjoyed the coaster.

Once off the ride, Mr. Wayne went over to Robert and Eric and kiddingly asked them how did they like the dinner that they got on the ride by riding the first car, first seat.

Darrin didn’t understand what the man was getting at, so he asked. Then he saw Robert picking at his teeth, as if he was trying to dislodge something from them. Eric then told Darrin that his Best Friend was getting rid of all the bugs that they ate being up front, as they rushed up and down all those hills.

Everyone laughed, as that’s what Mr. Wayne always asked anyone who rode up front. Mr. Wayne then told Darrin that was another reason not to ride where Robert and Eric had ridden.

After the debacle at the Carousel, Mr. Ken, Kate, Edith and the boys had no more problems when they went to ride any child friendly amusement. The ride supervisors had gotten the word out about the park’s owner taking his ‘wife and young sons’ on the rides.

The ride the boys went on next were the Airplanes. On this ride the boys had a joystick that they could pull back to make the plane go up and push forward to make it go down. They’d ridden something like that with their older ‘brothers’, so they knew how it worked and they asked to go it by themselves.

Kate was being motherly and not wanting them to do that by themselves. But Ken was there and he told he that she had to let them experience things by themselves and for themselves, so they knew what they could handle on their own. The boys were soon loading on the Airplane ride by themselves.

The boys loved it that they were on what they considered was a big boy ride by themselves. They had that plane going up and down the entire ride, and when the ride was over, they came off laughing and thanking their mom for letting them ride it by themselves.

They then headed over to the Tomahawk, a swinging boat, which was exactly like the Pirate Boat and the Galleon that they’d already ridden at the two previous parks. Kate knew that Ken would want them all to sit together on the upper most seat, so they would get the best ride, so when they walked up the exit the ride operator knew who they were and they would be placed on the ride before anyone who had a pass.

Both boys loved this ride, especially because they were riding it with their mom and Mr. Ken.

Edith stayed outside and watched the young ‘family’ doing that together and had only wished that Lane hadn’t been the deadbeat man that he was. She knew that Kate’s meeting Ken was the best thing that could ever have happened to her daughter.

When the boys came off the Tomahawk, they told their grandmother that she should have ridden it with them. They told her how high it went and how fun it was to feel like they were going to come out of their seat.

The small group then headed over to the Beer Barrel. Here the ride cars were shaped as an old wooden beer keg cut in half. These were big enough that four people could comfortably sit in. The people inside then had to turn the spindle in the middle to make it spin as the whole ride went around.

When they thought that all of the roller coasters were ridden, the older Cover boys remembered that their ‘dad’ had installed a new Twister Coaster, a wild mouse type, last summer and they all headed in that direction, so Darrin would have the chance to ride it.

Upon arriving at the Twister Mouse, Darrin noticed immediately that it was quite different from the first two Wild Mouse coasters he’d ridden at the other two parks. This one was more like a mix of Wild Mouse at the top and a steel coaster with hills valleys and bunny hills with spinning cars thrown in.

They all activated their passes and just like at the other parks, Mr. Wayne said they should let the people in line go after they do, so they aren’t waiting longer than they had to. With that decision made, the group decided who they were going to ride with and Darrin chose Billy.

Of course, Robert and Eric would ride together, Mr. Dennis and Phillip teamed up, Mr. Wayne and Charles were going to ride together, leaving Collin to ride with Matthew.

Darrin and Billy were the first ones in the group to ride and on the way up the lift hill, Billy told his ‘brother’ that this coaster was faster than it looked. At the top the Twister Coaster started on the back-and-forth area at the top, and then it went down the first hill and then it went right back up.

After the second loop the car began to spin and when it went down the next hill the car was spinning and the two boys were both laughing. Darrin was really enjoying this new type of Wild Mouse. The coaster car would then hit something to cause it to spin in one direction or another, and the weight in the car would also contribute to how fast the car did rotate.

At the end of their ride Darrin said he loved it because it was different, but still the same as the others. His ‘brothers’ understood what he meant, as they’d been on all the new Wild Mouse coasters more than he and it was the way they would have explained it.

As ‘Dad’ Ken, Kate, Edith, Rusty and Jessy were on their way to another ride, The Figure Eight a wooden roller coaster that the two young boys could both ride, they came upon the Twister Coaster and the older boys.

Seeing their dad, Robert and Charles immediately asked him to ride the Twister Coaster with them. But Ken had other ideas and he asked Kate to ride it with him. The man’s fiancée agreed to ride with him knowing that as his wife she would need to be able to ride these rides, not only with him, but with her boys, as they got older.

Ken and Kate walked up the exit and the owner of the park told the attendant that they would ride in the next car. That statement caught the worker off guard, but the ride operator, seeing who it was at the exit, called him over and told him that the man was the owner and whatever he told him would be what they did. The attendant went back over to Mr. Ken and apologized for the delay, and opened the gate for the couple to enter and get into a ride car.

Ken loved that Kate was seated in front of him. He could hug her tight, as they rode the coaster and she was also enjoying leaning back into him, as they rode to the top of the ride. At the top the Twister Coaster did what the wild mouse usually did by going back and forth, but after that it did something different from the other wild mouse coaster Kate had ridden.

The sudden drops and quick runs up the next hills and then the combined spinning as they continued to go up and down the hills surprised her. But in the end, Kate told Ken that she really liked the ride.

Rusty then asked to ride it, but mom said that it was getting late and they had other rides to get o that his brother could also ride.

As ‘dad’ Ken and company walked away, the large group of Covers headed over to the Round-Up. Darrin said that he never rode anything like that before when they arrived at it and he told his ‘brothers’ that he was looking forward to it.

Darrin watched it as it first spun around flat to the ground and then as it picked up speed the gondolas began to rise up on the central axis to 90 degrees. Phillip told his ‘brother’ he rode it last year and that you get pushed back on the wall and you didn’t even know you were going around.

The Covers activated their passes and they were on the next ride, and when the ride was over, Darrin said it was just like riding The Hatchet except they didn’t go in the opposite direction.

The group then headed over to a ride called the Rotor. On this ride the riders stand against the outer walls and as the ride began to spin it forces the person against the wall. Then the ride will begin to tilt upwards giving the guest the feeling they might fall to the other side. The boys all said that they were going to ride it and activated their Fastest Passes. Both Mr. Wayne and Mr. Dennis told them that they would wait for them at the exit.

After the boys finished with that ride, the group continued to go to some of the other rides in the park. Their next ride was the Tomahawk. This one was just like the Pirate Ship and the Galleon that went back and forth and higher and higher. The boys, Collin included squeezed into the two seats, so they could get the feeling of airtime they got at the top of the ride’s arc.

As the Covers walked along, Matthew spied a ride called Flying Wings. He quickly told Darrin that he needed to ride that one as it was fun to move the vane to make the ride car move this way and that way.

As the Covers walked up to the ride the operator saw them coming and knew these were VIPs the area ride supervisor told him about and that they would ride next.

There were eight Flying Wings to the ride but there were ten Covers. Again, Mr. Wayne and Mr. Dennis told the boys to enjoy the ride and that they would wait for them at the exit.

When the ride started up and as it gained speed the older boys moved the Wing back and forth and their carriage started to twist and turn. Darrin saw what they were doing and he moved his wing a little bit. When he did that the metal gondola car that he was in moved a little from the input.

The Cover teen then moved the wing in the other direction and the car moved in the opposite direction and Darrin smiled. He now knew what he needed to do to really enjoy the ride and he began moving the wing back and forth more and more and the more he moved the wing the more he enjoyed the ride.

Discovery Kingdom had a sky ride that Rusty and Jessy had constantly seen as they walked around and they wanted to experience it, since the other two amusement parks didn’t have one. So, they asked their mom of they could tide that.

Mr. Ken told them that the metal tub seats four, so if their grandmother goes, they’ll need to split up. Edith told Ken that she’d stay right there and wait for them to return. That decision made, the four walked up the exit. The ride operators immediately saw who they were and they called them over to get into the tub, to the chagrin of the people waiting in line.

The two young boys loved that they got to see what everything looked like from that high up. They looked from right to left and then forward and back at what they just passed. At the end of the ride, Ken told the attendants that they needed to go back to where they started.

Staying on the ride wasn’t what guests were normally allowed to do. But the word had gotten out that the owner of the park was there and whatever he wanted to do they were supposed to make happen. So, the attendant just moved the metal tub to the return cable and the four were off again,

Back at where they started, the two boys told their grandma that she should have taken the ride as they could see almost everything in the park from that high up. Edith hugged the boys and told them that maybe next time she would ride with them.

As both groups continued to walk around the park, they finally came upon one another again. They all talked about what they had ridden and that is when Robert told his dad that they needed to ride something together. then laid it on thick by telling his dad, “You know … I’m not getting any younger.”

Kate laughed at what the teenager said to his dad. Dad Ken then asked his son which ride was it that he wanted to ride with him. Robert said that he would have liked to have ridden the Twister Coaster, but he’d like him to ride the Stagecoach with him.

To do that the large group needed to walk over there, as it was not close by. But once there, dad Ken and his son, Robert, walked up the exit first, followed by the rest of the Covers. Rusty wanted to ride, but Kate told him not unless Mr. Ken said that it was OK.

As soon as the riders from the now returned coaster train got off, the Cover group waited for the attendant to open the exit so they could get into the seats. The boys called out to the ride attendant to open the gate, and as he came over, he told them that they had to wait.

But the ride operator, who was in charge of the ride, called the attendant over and told him to let them load and that he’d explain it to him after the train departed. So, the Cover group began loading onto the coaster, with dad and son in the first car first seat.

“Hey, what gives? They’re cutting the line,” yelled someone who was waiting in line.

“Yea, they’ve been doing that all over the park,” spoke up another.

“This is the park owner and his family,” called out the ride operator, “and they all have priority Fastest Passes.”

“I didn’t know there was such a thing as a Priority Fastest Pass,” someone in line yelled out.

Mr. Ken thanked the ride operator for saying what he did, and then he told him to fill the train with the people waiting in line. Once the train was full, it was dispatched and it went up the lift hill.

Upon the coaster train’s return back to the station, Mr. Ken stepped out to the platform and asked for the people’s attention. He also told the ride operator to fill the train and dispatch it when he was ready.

“Hello everyone, as the ride operator said, I am the owner. My name is Ken Thomas and this is my extended family. We are here to look over the park and check out the new construction.

“Also, as part of their Christmas gifts, I brought my family here to see my park and let them ride the rides. As the owner I think I can bend the rules a little and allow them to skip the lines,” chuckled the owner.

“While we await the next train, which is coming into the station as I speak,” laughed Mr. Ken, “we’ll let them get off and load the next group. In the meantime, how about some real-life feedback to the owner, while you wait in line?

“I’ve done this before when I was here and I like knowing what you, the guests, think about the park and with what I’ve been trying to do with it ever since I bought it a few years back.” offered Ken Thomas.

“When will the new coaster open?” asked someone.

“Well, as you’ve probably seen the construction crew is getting the land ready and setting the footers and have already poured some. And as the days and weeks go by, you’ll see more and more of the infrastructure going up. I can’t give you an exact date, because the weather plays a big part in when the floorless coaster will be finally ready for testing, and then its grand opening. But for now, late spring would be my estimate for the coaster’s opening,” replied the park’s owner.

“Are you going to raise prices for next year because of the new coaster?” asked someone. Then the person added, “And when will you install a new coaster after this one?”

“First of all, we are NOT, and I stress NOT, raising ticket prices to enter Discovery Kingdom next year. One thing that I will offer is that depending on our suppliers, we may have to raise some food prices. But we are at the mercy of our suppliers just as you are with your grocer’s suppliers. We are in the business to make money in order to keep the park running and making improvements.

“As for a new coaster after this one, you could probably expect new flat rides the following year after getting this new coaster, and then a new coaster the year after that, as long as the economy remains stable, or gets better. Now, I want to wish you all a very Happy New Year,” and then Mr. Ken walked off the station platform.

“‘Dad’, what are we doing next?” asked Rusty, to the surprise of everyone, but especially Kate.

“Boys, it is getting late and I think it is time to head out and get a nice dinner. I do not want fast food, as we are heading home tomorrow morning,” answered ‘dad’ Ken.

But Charles spoke up and told him that Darrin didn’t get to ride The Axe yet. ‘Dad’ Ken smiled and said that what park visit wouldn’t be complete with him riding this year’s addition. Kate then spoke up and said that she wanted to get with Jasmine and share some girl talk, so if they go in that direction, she’ll go back to the office and find the young college girl, so they can talk.

Ken told Kate that he’d keep an eye on her boys, and the two hugged and kissed and then Kate went back to the office, while the rest headed off to The Axe.

As the group walked along, Charles told Darrin that The Axe was just like the Hatchet and the Tomahawk that he’s already ridden, so there should be no surprises there.

Upon their arrival, the area ride supervisor had spotted them and he went directly over to the ride operator to tell him that when the park owner arrives, to let him and his group load right on to the ride.

The Covers went to activate their passes, but the ride attendant told them to wait and that they would all be on the next ride. Ken Thomas liked what he heard. But then he heard Rusty ask if he could also ride. Then Jessy asked if he could ride.

Rusty was tall enough to ride The Axe, so Ken didn’t think there would be a problem with him riding The Axe. But he told Jessy that he wasn’t tall enough, so he’ll just have to stay with his grandmother. Jessy pouted that Rusty was riding and he wasn’t and then ran to his grandmother.

After some chuckles from the boys after what Jessy said, the Cover’s loaded onto The Axe, Mr. Ken had Rusty sit between him and Collin. The rest of the Covers found seats on the same ride arm and before long the ride started. Everyone loved the ride as it went over the top in one direction and then it stopped at the top of the arc and then it went in the other direction.

But the first screams they heard came from Rusty, as they went over the top that first time. By the second and subsequent times over the top the youngster had caught his breath and when they had changed direction the Cover boys heard Rusty giggling or laughing. So, by the time the ride was over, Ken knew the boy had enjoyed himself.

With that last ride done and over with, the large group walked back to the employee building and Julia’s office. They said goodbye to Wade, while Collin said goodbye to Jasmine. The boys then thanked Ms. Rennartz for her hospitality, and then told her to have a Happy New Year, before heading to the vans.

But before going out to his rental car, Mr. Ken and Julia talked about what happened earlier in the park. Mr. Ken told her that her employees needed to know who he is and when he is walking around the park in his Owner’s shirt and holding a radio, they should know that he is an important person at the park and not someone trying to scam the system. The man then added that the same thing goes for when Ben visits.

Julia told the owner that she totally understood what he was saying and that she and Wade would ensure the employees knew his face. She added that she would get Ben to send her his updated photo next year and make it prominent in the wardrobe, dressing and employee entrance areas for everyone to see his face and know who he is.

nce out at the vans and car, ‘dad’ Ken suggested that they head to the Outback for dinner.

At the Outback, the fifteen travelers had to split into two large tables. Each table did order a Bloomin’ Onion for their table to share. Mr. Ken made sure that all the boys got a small salad and he, Kate and the boys all got sodas to drink.

The entire group got a steak of one kind or another, and a loaded baked potato. They talked about the last three days and what they liked and didn’t like about them. Edith thanked Ken for having a power chair for her to use at all three parks. She told him that without it she would never have survived one park let alone three.

Jessy complained that he couldn’t ride some of the rides that his brother could. And all Mr. Ken could tell the boy was that when he gets older and taller, he would be able to ride those. He then qualified that by saying as long as his mother also allows him to ride. There were a few chuckles at the table when they heard him say that.

Once the Covers arrived back at their hotel, Mr. Ken arranged with the van drivers to pick them up at 11 a.m. The man told the boys they could sleep in, but had to be down in the lobby by 10:50 all packed and ready to fly home. It was Mr. Wayne who reminded the boys if they wanted something to eat the breakfast buffet was only open until 9 a.m.

Ken and Collin then checked the passenger manifest for tomorrow’s back home and made changes as needed.

After the boys went up to their rooms, Ken, Kate, Wayne and Dennis stayed down in the bar to have an adult drink. Ken and Kate got a frozen daiquiri, while Wayne got a whiskey sour and Dennis just got a cold beer.

As they sat and enjoyed their drinks, Kate asked Ken about the discussion he had with Julia at the Carousel. The question caught Wayne and Dennis by surprise and they asked for more information.

Kate told the men that Ken got very testy with the park manager and was very abrupt with her in telling her that the employees needed to know who he was. Wayne told Kate that his employer has told all of the park operation managers that when he is out in the park the employees needed to know who he is.

The Estate Master reminded her of the day that the two met. Wayne told her that the man at the food stand had refused to replace Jessy’s drink, even after Mr. Ken told him about the park’s requirement to do so.

Wayne mentioned that ever since then Mr. Ken wanted all of the employees at any of the parks to recognize him, and to follow his directions and not treat him just as a regular guest in the park.

Wayne then added that for as long as he’s known Mr. Ken, which went back many, many years, he’s never seen the man ever get angry. He told Kate that he has raised his voice to get the boys attention and to make a point, but he’s never yelled at, or ever raised his hand to one of the boys.

After the adults finished their drinks, Ken walked Kate to her room. They talked some and then they hugged and kissed. Kate then apologized to Ken for asking about the way he handled Julia earlier.

Ken smiled and told her that he can’t let the employees disregard who he is when he is at the park, nor treat his family less than what he expects, as they aren’t day-to-day guests, but were there for usually the day, as they were these past three days.

The couple shared another long hug and a few kisses before they went both to bed.

The saga of Three Finger Cove continues. Let Chowhound know you are reading his story: Chowhnd at Gmail dot Com

If you are using webmail please include, on the subject line, [CR] [name of story]. This let’s the author know 2 things: Where you read the story and which story you are writing about.

89,210 views