Kings Island (KI) Discussion Thread

[Whodey]

I repectfully disagree with that entire post. On a busy day you need to get to the slowest lines first. At rope drop I advise going straight back to Firehawk and then Flight of Fear. Those lines are the slowest in the parks and could be over an hour wait by noon. After that Stunt Coaster is a slow line so I would head over there. After that most lines move quickly except invertigo but that is at the other end of the park and requires a long walk while taking you away from most of the good coasters. Vortex, Diamondback and Banshee are people eaters. Racer usually does better after noon when they open up the second side and Adventure Express full line is only 20 minutes. The Bat rarely gets long lines.

 

The big take away is getting Firehawk first thing because it is a slow painful line.

[bluestreak]

Yeah I would definitely hit Firehawk and flight of fear then head around the corner to beast, mystic, and diamondback. Everything else will be manageable the whole day, excluding invertigo but who cares about that ride anyways.

[DBru]

^I’ve has multiple midwestern friends tell me in the past week that Invertigo is their favorite ride in the park. I just don’t understand.

[thrillseeker4552]

^I’ve has multiple midwestern friends tell me in the past week that Invertigo is their favorite ride in the park. I just don’t understand.

 

I can understand not completely hating Invertigo (I rather enjoy it), but I agree that saying it is the best ride in the park is... strange.

 

For me, that title goes to Banshee.

[John Peck]

Kings Island just announced their new addition for 2018... The Coney Bar B Que. This looks great.

 

www.visitkingsisland.com/explore/executive-chef-coney-bbq

[Midgetman82]

I quite like Invertigo. Quirky, surprisingly intense ride. But I wouldn't go as far as to call it my favorite (that goes to Diamondback, then Banshee, then Mystic Timbers, then FoF). It's nothing compared to other insanely rough steelies I've been on, even Vortex is a bit more brutal than it imo.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

Invertigo is actually pretty good, but I'm baffled as to why anyone would like it the best. That BBQ place is exciting. I always approve of more BBQ in parks.

[CedarFlags]

Thanks for all the coaster advice you guys!

[AndrewA86]

I repectfully disagree with that entire post. On a busy day you need to get to the slowest lines first. At rope drop I advise going straight back to Firehawk and then Flight of Fear. Those lines are the slowest in the parks and could be over an hour wait by noon. After that Stunt Coaster is a slow line so I would head over there. After that most lines move quickly except invertigo but that is at the other end of the park and requires a long walk while taking you away from most of the good coasters. Vortex, Diamondback and Banshee are people eaters. Racer usually does better after noon when they open up the second side and Adventure Express full line is only 20 minutes. The Bat rarely gets long lines.

 

The big take away is getting Firehawk first thing because it is a slow painful line.

 

My opinion comes from experience. I've been going to KI for a very long time and tried different routes including yours (but I also hit the Racer), even before MT was built, and I was never able to get as many attractions done in 3 hours. If you hit Firehawk, Flight of Fear, and Backlot first, IMO from experience you're going to do more waiting than riding. Because the combined lines for Vortex, MT, Diamondback, and the Beast will be more of a wait than the combined lines for Firehawk, Flight of Fear, and Backlot. And if Backlot gets long at some point it won't stay that way. I've never waited more than 15-20 minutes for it. I usually ride it before getting in line to ride the Beast at night.

 

Now of course every day is different, but that has been my experience. And there's very little chance (if any at all) that in the first 3 hours you will work your way around to Banshee, The Bat, Drop Tower, Delirium, and Invertigo doing it your way. If you do then I would argue it isn't a very busy day.

 

With my route I've waited 20-25 minutes for Firehawk many times on weekends in June/July. Sometimes 30- 35 minutes which is fine if you've already been on MT, Diamondback, Beast, and Vortex. And yes to be fair to you, doing it my way I have seen the Firehawk line get ridiculous. But the original poster said he wouldn't mind getting FL+ if it's a busy day, and I would definitely recommend that.

[prozach626]

It's too bad you missed out on the one day ticket and FL+ sale for around $70. I think it included free parking, too.

[Whodey]

My opinion comes from experience. I've been going to KI for a very long time.

 

I've got some years under my belt too. I actually remember the swaying of the Demon steps as I climbed up and the entire Bat debacle. Do you remember the Top Gun crash? That was my first year working that ride and ended up working King Cobra until TG opened back up. I'm sure your plan works just fine but I was giving another point of view for him to consider. I'm sure either way it will be a great day because KI operations are overall good.

[AndrewA86]

My opinion comes from experience. I've been going to KI for a very long time.

 

I've got some years under my belt too. I actually remember the swaying of the Demon steps as I climbed up and the entire Bat debacle. Do you remember the Top Gun crash? That was my first year working that ride and ended up working King Cobra until TG opened back up. I'm sure your plan works just fine but I was giving another point of view for him to consider. I'm sure either way it will be a great day because KI operations are overall good.

 

I actually try not to remember all the incidents that have happened. You obviously have been going longer than I have as I was never on the Demon. My first visit was in 1990.

[prozach626]

Now we're just hanging trout...

[joelwee]

Does Kings Island typically raise the price of their online tickets after the season starts? I'm looking into daily tickets for someone who's going there with me in June, but we're not sure whether we're spending one or two days at the park, and we probably won't know until we're actually on the trip. Would I be better off buying a 2-day ticket now, or waiting until June to figure to figure out which ticket we'll need?

[Minori]

Hi guys! New addition; been living in the Miami Valley area for most of my life at this point. May not have been old enough for The Bat, but I remember King Cobra ( and Phantom Theatre, RIP) and I'm a survivor of the loop-intact Son of Beast, though I'm sure my thighs would argue otherwise. Very excited for this season! Happy to hear the new quick-service is on the dining plan and they aren't waiting a year or so to include it. No word yet on the actual meals included afaik. Maybe it can bring some of the foot traffic away from Reds Hall of Fame Grill or the Festhaus so they all get to be way too busy on peak days~

[CedarFlags]

What are the odds I might be able to sneak a peak at any of the remnants of Tomb Raider? Is there still a pathway leading to it?

 

I remember reading something about it years ago, but I finally got on the Defunctland train and now my interest is piqued again.

[Midgetman82]

I believe they use the queue as a haunt during their halloween season (and it was apparently used as an overflow queue for Mystic Timbers when it first opened).

[PKI Jizzman]

KI's site is currently down, but they confirmed that the new building in Coney Mall is going to be a new BBQ place (a few days old news, but more details below).

 

This is a great addition to KI's food line up. There are so many quality smokers out on the market, it's easy to produce some excellent BBQ if you have the money for a smoker. Based on the review for the BBQ spot in the waterpark last year, this should be a success.

 

You've got:

LaRosas pizza

Greater's Ice Cream

Blue Ice Cream

Banshee Ice Cream

Skyline (love it or hate it)

Montgomery Inn BBQ

Regular good BBQ

Mac 'n Cheese Bar (returning, I think)

More food yay

[jonskinny12]

^ Is there more than one LaRosas inside the park? I had heard good things about it but the one time I tried it last year it was barely edible. I didn't end up finishing my slice because it was so bad, and I will usually eat bad pizza because bad pizza is still pizza. Just curious if I went to the wrong one or just got it on a bad day or something.

 

I'm excited about the new BBQ place though! I'll definitely give that a try when I'm there this year.

[PKI Jizzman]

^ Is there more than one LaRosas inside the park? I had heard good things about it but the one time I tried it last year it was barely edible. I didn't end up finishing my slice because it was so bad, and I will usually eat bad pizza because bad pizza is still pizza. Just curious if I went to the wrong one or just got it on a bad day or something.

 

I'm excited about the new BBQ place though! I'll definitely give that a try when I'm there this year.

 

There's one down by Beast/Diamondback splash and one in the Festhaus; not sure elsewhere.

 

What was inedible about it? You probably got a stale slice? I rarely eat out at a LaRosas when in Cincy and prefer to get a slice at KI since they're usually so fresh. The pepperoni is consistently crispy on top of the cheese and goes well with the sweet pizza sauce.

[Hilltopper39]

There used to be one on Main Street, is that something different now?

[jonskinny12]

^ Is there more than one LaRosas inside the park? I had heard good things about it but the one time I tried it last year it was barely edible. I didn't end up finishing my slice because it was so bad, and I will usually eat bad pizza because bad pizza is still pizza. Just curious if I went to the wrong one or just got it on a bad day or something.

 

I'm excited about the new BBQ place though! I'll definitely give that a try when I'm there this year.

 

There's one down by Beast/Diamondback splash and one in the Festhaus; not sure elsewhere.

 

What was inedible about it? You probably got a stale slice? I rarely eat out at a LaRosas when in Cincy and prefer to get a slice at KI since they're usually so fresh. The pepperoni is consistently crispy on top of the cheese and goes well with the sweet pizza sauce.

 

Honestly I don't really remember why it was so bad. I think it wasn't cooked all the way and the crust was stale, and I didn't really care for the sauce. I think it was on International Street but I could be remembering that wrong. I'll have to try one of the other locations this year, hopefully it was just a bad day because it seems that everyone likes it.

[PKI Jizzman]

^ Is there more than one LaRosas inside the park? I had heard good things about it but the one time I tried it last year it was barely edible. I didn't end up finishing my slice because it was so bad, and I will usually eat bad pizza because bad pizza is still pizza. Just curious if I went to the wrong one or just got it on a bad day or something.

 

I'm excited about the new BBQ place though! I'll definitely give that a try when I'm there this year.

 

There's one down by Beast/Diamondback splash and one in the Festhaus; not sure elsewhere.

 

What was inedible about it? You probably got a stale slice? I rarely eat out at a LaRosas when in Cincy and prefer to get a slice at KI since they're usually so fresh. The pepperoni is consistently crispy on top of the cheese and goes well with the sweet pizza sauce.

 

Honestly I don't really remember why it was so bad. I think it wasn't cooked all the way and the crust was stale, and I didn't really care for the sauce. I think it was on International Street but I could be remembering that wrong. I'll have to try one of the other locations this year, hopefully it was just a bad day because it seems that everyone likes it.

 

I haven't been a local for 3 years now so my details about the park are starting to show, haha. If you don't care of the sauce then I'd skip it and go for a good that you really like. I'd say Cincinnatians are 50/50 on LaRosas (love/hate). But that seems to be the case with all of the Cincy based chains (people love/hate Montgomery Inn's sauce/rib style; people pick Skyline or Gold Star or Price Hill, PRC, etc) with the exception being Graeters. Everyone loves Graeters!

[prozach626]

^ Is there more than one LaRosas inside the park? I had heard good things about it but the one time I tried it last year it was barely edible. I didn't end up finishing my slice because it was so bad, and I will usually eat bad pizza because bad pizza is still pizza. Just curious if I went to the wrong one or just got it on a bad day or something.

 

I'm excited about the new BBQ place though! I'll definitely give that a try when I'm there this year.

I had it once and it was pretty decent. Maybe you hit it on a bad day. Granted, it was near the end of the Haunt, so I was having a pretty good time by that point...

[RAWKIN_coaster38]

I believe they use the queue as a haunt during their halloween season (and it was apparently used as an overflow queue for Mystic Timbers when it first opened).

Yes to both. Unless they change the Haunt maze this year (which I doubt, because that's one of the better ones), you will get to go through the Tomb Raider queue.

 

^ Is there more than one LaRosas inside the park? I had heard good things about it but the one time I tried it last year it was barely edible. I didn't end up finishing my slice because it was so bad, and I will usually eat bad pizza because bad pizza is still pizza. Just curious if I went to the wrong one or just got it on a bad day or something.

 

I'm excited about the new BBQ place though! I'll definitely give that a try when I'm there this year.

 

There's one down by Beast/Diamondback splash and one in the Festhaus; not sure elsewhere.

 

What was inedible about it? You probably got a stale slice? I rarely eat out at a LaRosas when in Cincy and prefer to get a slice at KI since they're usually so fresh. The pepperoni is consistently crispy on top of the cheese and goes well with the sweet pizza sauce.

 

Honestly I don't really remember why it was so bad. I think it wasn't cooked all the way and the crust was stale, and I didn't really care for the sauce. I think it was on International Street but I could be remembering that wrong. I'll have to try one of the other locations this year, hopefully it was just a bad day because it seems that everyone likes it.

 

I haven't been a local for 3 years now so my details about the park are starting to show, haha. If you don't care of the sauce then I'd skip it and go for a good that you really like. I'd say Cincinnatians are 50/50 on LaRosas (love/hate). But that seems to be the case with all of the Cincy based chains (people love/hate Montgomery Inn's sauce/rib style; people pick Skyline or Gold Star or Price Hill, PRC, etc) with the exception being Graeters. Everyone loves Graeters!

There is one in the main plaza. That one always has a line of people!

 

I ate La Rosas at the park I think twice and it was just okay. Ordering La Rosas out is a lot better, obviously. It's usually my second choice for pizza these days. There's a local place I like a lot better, but I choose La Rosas over Pizza Hut, Papa Johns, Dominos, Little Ceasars, etc.

 

Actually scratch that, third choice. I am eating Rapid Fired pizza as I type this. Not sure if there are a lot of other Rapid Fireds in other regions, but you basically can get whatever you want on a personal-sized pizza and they cook it really fast right there. I get almost every single veggie they offer plus 3 types of cheese plus several dipping sauces and it only costs a solid $7.75.

 

Back to the topic of KI food, there is also Red's, Subway, and Starbucks. I sure do hope the grilled cheese place returns, because it's one of the few good places for vegetarian food (besides Subway). Also, if this BBQ is a restaurant, I hope there is at least one vegetarian thing on the menu so my bf and I can both eat there, but I'd settle for more beer.