Kings Island (KI) Discussion Thread

[adamico2]

Sorry if this has been asked before on this thread, but how is the food situation this year? It was my first time to KI last year and everything was pretty average. Wondering if they are heading in a direction of improving...maybe not to the level of the parks with the mouse mascot but in that direction? Anything special as a result of the new Executive Chef they have been pushing?

Coney BBQ is a great addition. The biggest improvement, however, is staffing. I was there on a slow Sunday and all (other than Chick-fil-a) food and drink venues were open, even the Freestyle machines in the train station! This is a vast improvement over last year, when lines would be ridiculous, even on slow days.

[KICoasterkev]

That is great to hear! Looks like KI is getting it together!

 

I'm going to try out Coney BBQ in July while I visit, it looks delicious!

[vertigomkie]

Ok, so now that the deadline for Coasterstock has passed, and I failed to be proactive enough to get anybody else to go with me, I'm wondering if anybody from here is planning on going, and going to be solo as well? I'd be interested in both splitting a hotel room if you were up for it, and also spending the days riding together. Feel free to PM me, or post below if this sounds fun to you!

 

(A group of three needing a fourth would work as well!)

DLinator, we've got a group of three guys (me, freefalling45, and Richard a.k.a. richjabb) going to Coasterstock booked for Thursday and Friday night. Feel free to PM about joining us.

[Midgetman82]

Finally collected my mail for Coasterstock. Very excited about returning for a second time since being at its inaugural year.

 

And I'll say it a second time, Coney Island BBQ is very good. The pulled pork was delicious!

[anonymouscactus]

Coney BBQ is a great addition. The biggest improvement, however, is staffing. I was there on a slow Sunday and all (other than Chick-fil-a) food and drink venues were open, even the Freestyle machines in the train station! This is a vast improvement over last year, when lines would be ridiculous, even on slow days.

 

Of all my visits to different parks early this season, this is the one thing I noticed most at KI. No waits for food, can just walk up to get a drink, staffing on the rides was at it's max, everything was open, etc. Really made for a fantastic day. The BBQ was great. We actually went to a BBQ place for dinner after the park and my fiancee said she liked the park food better.

[inlina]

Of all my visits to different parks early this season, this is the one thing I noticed most at KI. No waits for food, can just walk up to get a drink, staffing on the rides was at it's max, everything was open, etc. Really made for a fantastic day. The BBQ was great. We actually went to a BBQ place for dinner after the park and my fiancee said she liked the park food better.

 

Looking forward to the BBQ. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come for all CF parks.

 

Thinking back to last year the waits were bad when we went on the second weekend of the season. We went back for 3 days just ahead of July 4th and the food lines at the park were not terrible but the lines for the drink stations were bad. The queues for those drink stations at both KI and CP is one of the reasons I dropped my all season drink plan (I also shouldn't be taking on that much sugary, fizzy water). I dropped my dining plan because my wife is vegetarian [well, mostly...seafood is vegetarian, right ] and the plan had limitations that, as a result, made it too hard to settle on somewhere to eat for all of us.

[DirkFunk]

Good thing its 2018 and we have youtubedoubler. Beast vs Beast

 

TFW there is unequivocal proof that Beast is actually BETTER in 2018 than it was opening year.

 

Also Old Timers Claiming to Have Trimless Beast Rides BTFO; it's always had them.

So you are saying that the ride in 2018 is better because you get a longer ride....

 

Because it is faster. Clearly faster. It no longer needs the booster tires to maybe get up the hill before the second lift any more because it is flying (even with the trims).

[ytterbiumanalyst]

Anyone know when schools start back in August? I'm assuming it's early since KI goes down to Fri-Sun operation the last couple weeks of August. Looking to reschedule my trip and I want to be there 2 days, either 17-18 or 24-25. Will be budgeting for Fast Lane on Saturday, but hoping for a Friday with lower attendance.

[prozach626]

I just noticed on the KI website that they are rolling out the Peanuts Celebration in June. A lot of the shows appear to be the same as what was done when Knott's Berry Farm debuted the event earlier this year. It was a lot of fun and very charming... I highly recommend it!

 

https://www.visitkingsisland.com/play/events/peanuts-celebration

 

I miss when the CF parks used to have certain areas of the park that were dedicated to the Snoopy Light Show at the end of the night. They would play music and have the lights and lighted trees synchronized to the music. It would be clips of Peanuts music and pop/hits musics. It was a fun way to close out the night to walk through these areas, as it usually happened during the last half hour or so. We saw this at KI, KD, and Carowinds. I think it was all the same year. When we went to CP the following year we could tell that the path between MF and where STR used to be was lighted. The lights flickered and faded on and off during the evening, but there was no music.

[prozach626]

That is great to hear! Looks like KI is getting it together!

KI appears to have gotten better every year since my first visit the year before Banshee. Most people seem to share this opinion.

 

Good thing its 2018 and we have youtubedoubler. Beast vs Beast

 

TFW there is unequivocal proof that Beast is actually BETTER in 2018 than it was opening year.

 

Also Old Timers Claiming to Have Trimless Beast Rides BTFO; it's always had them.

So you are saying that the ride in 2018 is better because you get a longer ride....

 

Because it is faster. Clearly faster. It no longer needs the booster tires to maybe get up the hill before the second lift any more because it is flying (even with the trims).

 

He just wanted an excuse to use the eye roll emoji which people seem to really enjoy doing, lately. It's one of the more popular chosen weapons among internet warriors.

[Nrthwnd]

Anyone know when schools start back in August? I'm assuming it's early since KI goes down to Fri-Sun operation the last couple weeks of August....

 

Just a comment but wow, I feel sorry for the kids going back to schools where you are! I don't remember ever going

back to school, until the day after Labor Day, 1st Monday in September. And then, that first day, was basically

a half day, just to find out what the schedule was, who your home room teacher was, what books you were getting, etc.

 

Have your schools always opened in the last weeks of August? And so, when does the school year end, then?

Just being curious. And pardon for the non-KI questions, guys.

[thrillseeker4552]

^In high school I always started in early to mid August (between the 8th and the 15th usually), and the school year ended the first or second week of June. But that was with one week for Thanksgiving, three for winter, and two for spring break. The summer was fairly short, but the longer breaks throughout the school year was nice. That was in SoCal though, so Ohio may be different.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

This year our school district in Missouri is August 17, 2017, to May 23, 2018. It's always around then. Our schools are all air conditioned, and August is super hot while late May is much more pleasant to be outside. By the time we went back to school in August, I was always grateful to have an excuse to be inside all day.

 

Anyway, that's Missouri, and I'm about 400 miles west of Cincinnati, so I'm wondering for planning purposes how their schools are over there.

[AndrewA86]

Anyone know when schools start back in August? I'm assuming it's early since KI goes down to Fri-Sun operation the last couple weeks of August. Looking to reschedule my trip and I want to be there 2 days, either 17-18 or 24-25. Will be budgeting for Fast Lane on Saturday, but hoping for a Friday with lower attendance.

 

I think it's safe to say that most of the students in the area go back the week of August 12. Mason goes back on the 14th, Lakota on the 15th, Kings on the 15th, and Sycamore on the 15th. And the Catholic schools probably start earlier.

[805Andrew]

For anyone who is a frequent visitor or familiar with Kings Island, how are weekday crowds at the very end of May? I'm planning on visiting on Thursday May 31 and am wondering if its going to be crowded enough to justify getting Fast Lane. Of course I'll play it by ear and see how crowds are when I get there, but if lines for major rides are 30 minutes or less for then I feel I won't need Fast Lane. I plan to be there all day with a friend who's never been but I've been there once before so the only new thing for me will be Mystic Timbers.

[DILinator]

Ok, so now that the deadline for Coasterstock has passed, and I failed to be proactive enough to get anybody else to go with me, I'm wondering if anybody from here is planning on going, and going to be solo as well? I'd be interested in both splitting a hotel room if you were up for it, and also spending the days riding together. Feel free to PM me, or post below if this sounds fun to you!

 

(A group of three needing a fourth would work as well!)

DLinator, we've got a group of three guys (me, freefalling45, and Richard a.k.a. richjabb) going to Coasterstock booked for Thursday and Friday night. Feel free to PM about joining us.

 

Thanks for the invite to join you! I PM'd you back!

[ytterbiumanalyst]

Anyone know when schools start back in August? I'm assuming it's early since KI goes down to Fri-Sun operation the last couple weeks of August. Looking to reschedule my trip and I want to be there 2 days, either 17-18 or 24-25. Will be budgeting for Fast Lane on Saturday, but hoping for a Friday with lower attendance.

 

I think it's safe to say that most of the students in the area go back the week of August 12. Mason goes back on the 14th, Lakota on the 15th, Kings on the 15th, and Sycamore on the 15th. And the Catholic schools probably start earlier.

Perfect, thanks so much!

[michaellynn4]

That is great to hear! Looks like KI is getting it together!

KI appears to have gotten better every year since my first visit the year before Banshee. Most people seem to share this opinion.

 

Just another reason for me to make it back here. My only visit was in 2013, and to see how much the park has added / grown since then is amazing.

[prozach626]

You won't be disappointed.

[DILinator]

Ok, so now that the deadline for Coasterstock has passed, and I failed to be proactive enough to get anybody else to go with me, I'm wondering if anybody from here is planning on going, and going to be solo as well? I'd be interested in both splitting a hotel room if you were up for it, and also spending the days riding together. Feel free to PM me, or post below if this sounds fun to you!

 

(A group of three needing a fourth would work as well!)

DLinator, we've got a group of three guys (me, freefalling45, and Richard a.k.a. richjabb) going to Coasterstock booked for Thursday and Friday night. Feel free to PM about joining us.

 

Just so you know, I responded to your last PM early Sunday morning, and just did again, but I realized they are both still in my Outbox, appearing to have not been sent. If they don't arrive soon, we'll just have to exchange numbers or something, to communicate. Just wanted to let you know I wasn't ignoring your last message!

 

Having said that, and having just taken a gander at the weather forecast for both days there, I'm leaning towards just writing off the $41 as sunk cost, and saving the hundreds of dollars I'd be spending by going. Sorry to possibly back out... I'll try and decide in the next day or so for sure.

[Minori]

Well, I hope to see you guys there tomorrow! First outing with other members around. Bit of the nerves, but I'm excited to get out with the camera.

[Cj1990]

What would crowds be like on Monday the 21st? Looking at the weather, it may not be a good day to go. But we wouldn't be going to the park until later in the afternoon. Around 2 or 3 and wouldn't even probably stay until the park closed. We just happen to be making a day trip and have to pass the park on our way home. Since we have passes, just figured it would be worth trying to make it.

[coasternut]

Just a quick post about Coaster Stock. I was there yesterday, and will be there today too. The weather was poor at best, but the park and staff were great! Lot's of hustle and personality from the ride-ops there. That's been my experience with this park, unlike it's big brother to the north. I hope the weather is better today, but as of now the forecast says no.

 

A question was brought up at our lunch yesterday to the G.M. Why doesn't the park allow re-rides??? He said he wasn't sure, but will check into it. Even that's a good response.

[cal1br3tto]

^I noticed that when Cedar Fair supposedly began to enforce a two-consecutive-ride limit chainwide, KI started only allowing one ride in a row. I was wondering if it was just easier to keep track that way.

[CaptainUnknown]

^It's definitely easier to keep track of as many ride ops neglect to click the turnstiles for the re-riders at Valleyfair (Something I've done before as well a time or two like when a group had a bumper cars marathon at the end of the night). And that skews ridership numbers. I'm curious what other reasons might be for that policy.