Midgetman82

Despite Storm Chaser existing, T3 is often the most popular roller coaster (after Lightning Run) by the afternoon. This accounts for when it ran two trains too.

Link to Tweet stating alcohol is staying, and more is on the way.

Ironic that Herschend now operates both #1 and #2 golden ticket 2015 coaster winners. Getting 50% off of other Herschend parks, and their passholders to KK sure would be sweet. This goes especially for between KK and Dollywood since they seem to be the somewhat easier drive between each other.

Each individual attraction only lets you ride once?

I KNEW there was something fishy with the amount of people there. I wasn't sure if it was because of new precautions reducing capacity on the rides or if there really was more people at the event. An hour wait for Voyage during ERT was SUPER suspect. I figured there would still be a decent turnout, but I didn't expect what they got. Nonetheless, even with the larger crowd, HW still managed to produce a fantastic event this year. I'd still say I had a faaar better time during exclusive event times than I did when the park was actually open to all guests, because Saturday was pretty packed too. I still hold the event up as my #1 favorite.

Tony Clark's been hyping about the Aquatrax for years. Glad this confirmed coaster's finally finding a proper home.

Just FYI: Tickets still going on for Sunday's event, and no coaster club membership required. https://shop.kentuckykingdom.com/webstore/shop/viewitems.aspx?CG=specialevents&c=keystokingdom

Welp, the fair just confirmed it is closed off to the general public, so no midway this year. https://kystatefair.org/covid-19-plan/

And just of pure irony, of the top two Golden Ticket Award "new for 2016 coaster" winners, #2 at KK still has more uptime than Dollywood's #1. Love me a good launched coaster, but even they all have their own special demons to deal with. Yup. It's why he sometimes refers to folks in the community about ride experiences in other parks.

iirc, it was from personal preference. I believe he mentioned it to a KK winter walkthrough group about preferring the anticipation of a lift hill over the suddenness of a launch, tho he said it in a different way.

Eiffel Tower is open. You should not need an access pass for Orion Fast Lane. When I was there, I just flashed my wristband and they let me right onto the ride, no questions or access pass needed. Things could change tho, if Fast Lane gets a lil packed too.

Just like the Mack Powersplash, there's a controlled channel where the track splashes. It's drained on the first passes, then instantly flooded when the boat (train?) drops in the final time. These concepts are wicked, and I especially want to see that vertical LSM coaster go out to more places. I want to believe that, tho I'm still leaning on it being from RMC if it actually happens. Either would be stellar.

They're echoing what KK did with needing masks when walking in the park and at indoor buildings and coaster stations and not needing to wear them walking around the midway.

"I have asthma and allergies with congestion..." Honestly, mask comfort should probably be one of the least of their concerns at that point... I can't fathom being so susceptible to asthma flares and still going out to an amusement park at this time at all.

For what it's worth, Kentucky has had a mask mandate too and KK is only enforcing masks when at the park entrance gate, at indoor facilities and waiting in line for concessions. I won't be surprised seeing HW do something similar.

If you're only there to get one cred on each but skip T3 and Roller Skater, you'll be in and out way quicker than you'll expect. Don't hesitate to get a re-ride on a favorite. Just my 2 cents tho.

imo: Lightning Run first, then Storm Chaser, Thunder Run, T3, and KY Flyer. LR has slowest ops, and it's at the front so it's usually the first sought-after coaster. Best to get it done quicker then head to the back via the crosswalk next to Scream Extreme.

In the visits I've done, I say absolutely. I don't think I've ever been to Holiday World (whether on my own or during an event) where I've ever seen it down for extended periods of time, if ever at all. I've seen it not perform properly due to outside factors (cold morning causes 1 launch rollback but fine for rest of day, huge downpour stops ops for a bit), but when ready to go it's back up in almost no time.

I've seen small handfuls of super early time slots open the day prior to reservation dates, so I wouldn't give up hope entirely, especially since KI lets you manage your reservations now.

Governor is signing an order requiring mandatory mask wearing in Kentucky starting tomorrow afternoon. This could affect the park, so just a heads up to anyone thinking of swinging by soon. For now, it'll only be for the next 30 days.

On its own, it's pretty fun and has some really nice elements and is a hands-up type of ride. But a common consensus I see some folks walk away feeling with is "underwhelmed" after a first ride, which I also get. This is especially if you're one to compare it with other coasters that pack in more elements. The first drop, the speed, the few airtime hills it does have are very fun, but on the critical side, it does "feel" shorter than others. I still enjoy it, and it looks very pretty in the park. It's something worth getting multiple rides in to gain a love for.

Seeing how World's of Fun dropped needing reservations to enter the park, I can see parks like Kings Island potentially offering Fast-Lane+ again (and inevitably going back to standby waits). Having said that, they could also do like what I saw with Steel Vengeance's opening and hike up the price for FL+ due to potential high demand too.

Briefly pulling back on topic to the new coaster. Really enjoyed it! Got 16 total laps in on it with the help of my FL+ I bought during president's day sale. Also, this may not always happen, but the operators ditched the ride access tickets at the last hour and let everyone on because there was a sharp drop in guests in the park and around Area 72 at that point. It might've been because Sunday was ridiculously hot and muggy and most folks were ready to go home at that point. Nonetheless, Flight of Fear went from 60 minute wait at noon to walk-on at 6pm and Orion was between walk-ons and in-station waits for the last hour. An elderly lady was sitting behind me for one lap on Orion, and I quite enjoyed her comment on the brake run: "Wow, what a way to fly!" Not to say the coaster is weak, but praise the fact it's a crowd pleaser a LOT of people are gonna be able to enjoy without fear of losing their lunch (i.e. my dad after he rode SV last year). It's fast and tall, pure and simple, and very re-rideable. Not a top-10 coaster for me, but I still had a blast on it!

I'm just now realizing this year's big Keys to the Kingdom event is on the very last day of the KY State Fair! The pros is you get more rides than you bargained for with the midway right on KK's front doorstep! Easy walking distance! The con is that attendees might need to prepare for much different parking and potentially walking some further distance to reach park gates. Depending where you park, a tractor might be available to bus you around the Exposition Center too. On top of that, I'm ALSO just now learning that KY State Fair switched ride vendors this year from North American Midway Entertainment to Kissel Entertainment! This feels similar to Bluegrass Fair in Lexington who switched from Belle City Amusements to Kissel Entertainment last year, and the ride lineup was SO MUCH better for it! I'm hoping the same can be said for this year's State Fair ride lineup. NAME's midway felt like it had been... lacking, the few times I've been back to the fair.

Yikes. Really happy to see Kings Island take this approach so you can actually spend the day doing other things than waiting in one long line and disperse everyone throughout the park. But I can see some really angry parents/latecomers to the park not know about this and not get them in time before they're all out. But this makes me all the more excited for my visit now that I know I won't have to wait all day in line!