Winter: A busy time at Kings Island

Winter might be the off-season for Kings Island’s guests. But for the behind-the-scenes crews at Kings Island, it's the on-season. It's a beehive of activity and for the park's maintenance crews and ride technicians, it's the busiest time of the year.
The process begins in the fall immediately following the last day of the season with the removing of the cars from the rides and stripping each one down to every last nut and bolt. Everything is disassembled, looked at and rebuilt during the winter.
The parts from each ride will undergo testing methods specified by its manufacturer, including magnetic particle testing, X-rays, ultrasonic and accelerometer testing and a liquid dye penetrant to detect every crack and scratch. The park's roller coasters alone combine for more than 6,500 parts.
The work is very detailed and can take up to 4-1/2 months to complete for some rides.