JZ's Ongoing Kings Island Update Thread!

[ginzo]

Groovy! Thanks ginzo..... very helpful. I probably will be going on a weekday as I don't like lines... expecially if it is a "new to me" park. :0)

 

If you're coming back to this area next year, you might consider putting off your KI trip until next year. This new rumored coaster would make your KI experience a lot better. If you want to go to some place new this year, you could try Kennywood instead. It's a very fun park and not that much further away from Columbus than Cedar Point is.

[NINCUB]

Ahhhh very good point.... hmmmm.... Now the question now.... "Kennywood?" Good, bad, or meh?! I guess there is a thread for that! :0)

[Chadley]

Ginzo pretty much hit the nail on the head! Avoid the weekends for sure, if at all possible. There was actually a weekend last year where we made the 30 min. ride to the park, saw people parked in the grass along the edge of the parking lot...turned around and went to Cincy for the day.

 

I remember when April weekends used to be the locals dirty little secret...the park used to be dead in the pre-season! Now it's packed nearly all season anymore. Yet, like mentioned above we have no problem at any time of the season at CP. Don't know if it the layouts of the parks, ride operations, or what.

[coaster05]

Back when I was in college the early April thing was awesome, we still had good luck on that weekend last year. Lines at both are really bad to me. Maybe it is because I have gotten spoliled on TPR trips, or the fact that I can travel during the week so I mostly avoid weekends other then Spring Break and Halloween. Or maybe it is just the fact that since I have rode those rides at both parks anything longer then 15 minutes is a hassle. I am not sure, but I would do anything possible to stay away from a Saturday at almost any park.

[PKI Jizzman]

My advice for a trip to KI:

 

Yes, avoid weekends. Fridays tend to get busy around 3-4 in the summer. Saturdays are pretty bad, and Sundays can be just as worse.

-Go during the week if possible. It's a huge turn around from the weekends.

-Go on an overcast/chance of rain day. Only thing that closes is Firehawk. You can still go on FoF or Crypt! The crowds are so much smaller.

 

I'd go to Firehawk, FoF, BLSC, and Invertigo in that order. Or something like that.

 

Fan of the Slingshot/Skyflier? Get tickets right when you enter, they will be at the lowest then. Remember people, your admission doesn't cover everything in the park! Ugh, I get b*tched at countless times when working at Days of Thunder.

 

Vortex and Beast have nice, quick flowing lines. The rest of the rides are really mediocre 2 train ops. OH. Firehawk was usually behind schedule with opening on time...so be prepared for it to open about 30 minutes after the park opens.

 

Eats?

-Try Skyline Chili. One of the cheaper options for food.

-Larosas pizza is pretty darn good.

-Festhaus now has a nice variety of foods, along with the new Orient Express? Yeah, I think that's the one. It's also a nice place to chill out and take a break.

-BLUE ICE CREAM! It's in Nick U. It seems to be a favorite with guests, but I'm just meh about it.

 

And the most important info. Where to sit on the coasters?!

-Adventure Express: You can get some nice whipy turns in the front and back. I'm more of a front seat guy for this ride.

-Beast: FRONT SEAT!!! For God sakes, don't go near the back! You'll get smashed and turned to puddin'. The front is the best way to ride this coaster, period.

-Backlot Stunt: I can go for the front or the back. Usually go for the backseat in the cars because the windshield SUCKS.

-Fairly Odd Coaster: Wherever you can fit.

-FoF: I'd go for the front. You can THROWN around on this! It's intense! Oh, and AWESOME corkscrew at the end provides a cool zero-g sensation.

-Firehawk: Front is the best IMO. But you might not have a choice. They want to fill every row.

-Flight Deck: Hmm...the front gives a nice sense of speed, but the back has a small pop of air on the first drop.

-Invertigo: Either front or back; it's the same experiance. I've always had a good ride on this. Rarely having a rough ride.

-Racer: It's a toss up for me. On the Blue Racer (former Forewards racer) you either have a normal ride, or a rough ride. I'd go for the front to be safe. On the Red Racer (former backwards) I had a good ride 90% of the time. Back is where I am!

-SoB: Alright, this has changed every time I ride. One time I had a good ride in the back; not to bad, some nice airtime! Other times, it was hell. Same goes with the front.......good luck!

-Vortex: My sweet seat is the second to last car; front seat. Never fails me. Nice airtime over the drop, quick whips on the inversions. Can't go wrong with the front, either!

[PKI Jizzman]

The plant in Ohio where B&M steel coaster track is fabricated has created some new track that looks to be that of a Dive Machine. I wonder where it's going? Note that this is the same factory that we saw in pictures when track was fabricated for the Dive Machine at Chimelong Paradise. Pictures:

 

 

Credit for the pictures goes to Sheikra_rocks of coasterdynamix.com.

 

Oh, I'm bringing this from the rumor super thread. Could we be seeing this at KI soon?

[FeelTheFORCE]

If Kings Island is getting a Dive Machine, then yes.

 

Here's one more picture to add to the list.

[PKI Jizzman]

http://www.wlwt.com/video_legacy/15903956/index.html

 

Here's a video SHOWING the new changes in the park! Signs, landscape...and CONSTRUCTION!

[Skramp]

Not sure if you could say what type of coaster that track belongs to (dive, hyper or what.) But looks like it's ready for a midseason installation. I would venture to say that if it is for KI, they are going to have to start installing it soon. Those of us near KI know how harsh the winter months are so I can't see having it painted and ready to go, then letting it sit all winter. This factory produces track for so many coasters, hard to pinpoint exactly who it's for. I think it's too early to speculate.

[scruffy]

Guess the cats out of the bag now they are showing off the construction. I be at the park on Sunday and I be taking a lot of pictures.

 

All yeah the lay out of the ride did show a splash down do it could be a dive coaster.

[coolhandluke]

And the most important info. Where to sit on the coasters?!

-Firehawk: Front is the best IMO. But you might not have a choice. They want to fill every row.

-Invertigo: Either front or back; it's the same experiance. I've always had a good ride on this. Rarely having a rough ride.

 

I prefer back row on Firehawk personally. You get yanked out of that loop like none other, and since everyone's looking at the ground or sky, the view doesn't really change from seat to seat. Also, I agree with front or back for Invertigo. I go for very first row, as that gives you the farthest drop as you face backwards and it saves the backwards (my favorite) for last. But to each his own.

 

And I loved that news report. Granted I wasn't alive to verify, but the park is finally back to how everyone remembers it from the 70s and 80s! Good ol' nostalgia will set in! I like the excuses they provided for a front-only Racer as well..."anything notable with Racer happened going forwards."

 

Oh, well, all lameness aside, it did show that Kings Island will (apparently) be a little more prepared for opening day than some other ex-Paramount parks in terms of signage. Gotta love "INVERTIGO" with backwards letters pasted over the old Face/Off cyclone spiral design thing, too. Maybe that'll help the GP recognize it as "The Ride Formerly Known As Face/Off."

[dwerling]

Did anyone notice the "Drop Tower" sign said --Cream Zone---

 

Thats great

[jamesdillaman]

Wow, the construction looks much more large scale than I had thought from the picture. Seeing it pan by in the video rekindles thoughts that it will be something big.

 

-James Dillaman

[Scaparri]

Did anyone notice the "Drop Tower" sign said --Cream Zone---

 

Thats great

 

Yeah, I REALLY hope somebody forgot to put an 'S' in there for some reason.

[RinkyDink94]

KD drop tower says drop tower scream zone.

[ginzo]

Having been on all of the US B&M hypers and dive machines, I really hope that Kings Island gets a hyper instead of a dive machine. Sheikra and Griffon are great rides, but to me aren't the best in their respective parks. I don't find a lot of re-ride value in them personally.

[PKI Jizzman]

I, too hope that this isn't a B&M Dive machine. Don't get me wrong they do look like really fun rides, but that's about it at best. I'd much rather have a long, airtime filled hyper that doesn't rely on a few gimmick elements.

 

But along with any other KI local, anything new is good.

[jamesdillaman]

The layout doesn't really strike me as a dive machine layout, though... I would be surprised (if the layout screamscape had is correct, of course) if this turns out to be a dive machine.

 

-James Dillaman

[FeelTheFORCE]

Here's a Beast video I found from 1985 if anyone is interested.

 

Here's a video of a local newscast regarding the changes taking place at KI for this summer. There is also some brief footage of what's going on at Swan Lake.

[cinciDAWGS12]

Yay for the new sign in front of the fountains! Based on the video, the park is looking more Cedar Fair than ever. Everything looks nice (even the new named ride signs). So i guess KI really is getting a new ride next year....WHOOOOOO!!!

[coolhandluke]

I noticed too that the icon they have at the beginning on the countdown thing is SOB's loop...hmm...

 

I'd also prefer a hyper over a dive machine. Sure, drops are fun, but I'll be content just riding Drop Tower (S)Cream Zone. Now, airtime...well, King's Island could really use some of that. Desperately.

[PKI Jizzman]

Here's a preview photo TR from KIC.

 

 

I also see that they have a great new media center on the site, check it out.

 

http://www.visitkingsisland.com/mediakit/index.html

Great Photos, Tips, and....VIDEOS! Seriously, take a look!

It's a garbage can holder.

About 1/2 of what's visible from ground level.

Please Cedar Fair, don't dissapoint.

Oooo...better be something good.

Color coded.

Maybe they will serve Casey beer at 11AM?

I see Raptor, and Corkscrew, and Paris, and oh! A second gen freefall! But no Pepsi! Hahahaha.

Wes' favorite. Could be Jahan's.

Does anyone care about this ride? Seriously!

Hardly noticeable.

Hate the name, alright look.

New sign

Ah, that looks better.

[jamesdillaman]

It'll be strange to me to see the racer going forwards on the midway side. When it ran forwards before was a little before my time...

 

-James Dillaman

[sfotfreak]

The park looks nice from those pics! They really put in allot of effort during the winter by the looks of things!

[SFOGdude25]

I'll comment on the Kings Island media page.

WOW!

Has any amusement park done something like this?

What a great way to advertise the park!

The thing I like the most: It's ALL Kings Island footage (or at least thats what I assume)! I was very impressed. Even though some of the footage is old (SOB had old trains, FoF had OTSR trains, etc.), but still.

Check this page out!

 

Kudos to Kings Island for still being a Coca-Cola park!