Kings Island (KI) Discussion Thread

[dankeykang]

^^They did, but that was on its opening day.

[bert425]

1 hour ago, Canobie Coaster said:

Queue-Times shows Orion as open unless that's an error.  Then again, didn't Cedar Point reopen Steel Vengeance on the same day the ride bumped by running one train?

the park's closed today for a private event.

so unless someone at that event posts that it's running?   We won't really know anything until 4/29 (Friday). . as that's when the park is back open to the public for a standard operating day.

[dankeykang]

Come to think of it, that's actually a lot of train bumps in the Cedar Fair chain in recent years.  Vengeance, Valravn, and Shivering Timbers also come to mind.

[TallShortstop]

Picture here thanks to someone on Facebook via Screamscape. https://kicentral.com/forums/index.php?/topic/40513-orion-accident/

 

[southpuddle]

Good thing it wasn’t raining. CF loves to blame rides colliding on that. 

[tndank]

They were running a single train Sunday afternoon.  So at least it was running. 

[tndank]

Avett Brothers, 3 Doors Down, and others announced for Kings Island concert series in the Timberwolf theater.  Nice to see a park firing their theater back up. 

[thrillseeker4552]

Officially booked my trip to Kings Island for Memorial Day weekend. I haven't been since 2017 so I am very excited. I know FastLane+ at this park is magic, it gets you to the station everywhere right? Is there any chance of them selling out on Memorial Day weekend? Just wondering if I should purchase now or wait until I'm at the park, even though it's basically guaranteed to be crowded that weekend.

[bert425]

Don’t wait. 
 

buy it now

 

even if not too crowded you’ll still save a ton of time

[AmyUD06]

I second that.  Buy it now.

[Nrthwnd]

Oops. Wrong park. Idiot bear.  <blush>

But you probably should still get that pass in advance. Like they said.

[thrillseeker4552]

Thanks all. I just bought it for both days. I was pleasantly surprised (relatively speaking) to see it was only $115 each day that weekend. I paid $250 for FL+ at Cedar Point last summer.

[Nrthwnd]

Oops. wrong park. My bad.

 

[KICoasterkev]

Seen some videos and pics, people have put up online of the Grand Carousel all renovated, it looks amazing! 

[AmyUD06]

3 hours ago, KICoasterkev said:

Seen some videos and pics, people have put up online of the Grand Carousel all renovated, it looks amazing! 

Don't show this to the SFStL thread...according to their fanboys it takes two years to properly renovate a carousel.

[prozach626]

You beat me to it. It's cool that ours will take three years, which is somehow totally acceptable among our enthusiasts.

[bert425]

Kings Island just posted an update on Youtube:
 

 

BEAST UPDATE: Track work has been completed on the world's longest wooden roller coaster, and trains have begun cycling. The exact date the ride will open this month has yet to be determined. #KI50

[CP_RULES]

You can certainly see those trims tugging hard on the drop, maybe it is extra hard for testing, maybe not. Either way that footage looked great! I am considering an Ohio trip with my husband to introduce him to Cedar Point and we would stop at KI as well. Neither of us have been to KI, but the Beast is a ride I have been wanting to ride for years. Glad to see it get some love instead of being torn out or even RMC'd!

[bert425]

1 hour ago, CP_RULES said:

You can certainly see those trims tugging hard on the drop, maybe it is extra hard for testing, maybe not. Either way that footage looked great! I am considering an Ohio trip with my husband to introduce him to Cedar Point and we would stop at KI as well. Neither of us have been to KI, but the Beast is a ride I have been wanting to ride for years. Glad to see it get some love instead of being torn out or even RMC'd!

I think it's running "sluggish" because it's empty trains.

and tho Beast is certainly a great reason to go to KI, as is Orion? (my 1st trip ever was last year for Coasterstock, and going back again in less than 2 week!). . . . the reason I'd say *absolutely* go to KI?

Mystic Timbers.

it's unbelievable how fantastic it is.  not a bad seat anywhere.

also excellent?   Diamondback (row 2 wing seat).

and very good coasters:  the Bat, Banshee, Racer, Adventure Express, and Flight of Fear (as long as in the front 1/2 of train).

some very good flats there too, including a great flume in "Race for your life Charlie Brown". .that will SOAK you.

 

Highly recommended park, and also highly recommended to get FL+ for it. . . it's on 90% of the rides (coasters and flats), and 95% of them it drops you directly in the station rather than merge further back in the line as it does at CP)

[bert425]

and they JUST updated an hour ago. . it's opening to the public tomorrow!

UPDATE: After more than six months of retracking work, The Beast is scheduled to re-open to guests on Sunday May 8. The 43-year-old wooden roller coaster -- the longest in the world at 7,361 feet -- has received over 2,000 ft. of replacement track and a steeper first drop.

[prozach626]

The longest wooden roller coaster in the world gets an overhaul within a matter of months, but the carousel at SFSTL is going to take at least three years to complete.

[KBrylczyk]

On 5/7/2022 at 3:32 PM, CP_RULES said:

You can certainly see those trims tugging hard on the drop

Yeah, I noticed that too.  Look everyone!  We made the drop steeper but we put hard trims on it! 

 

[Taylor Finn]

Reading some really great things about The Beast. This is one of the rides that has contributed to my love of roller coasters the most. I am not sure yet if it'll work out for us to make a trip to Kings Island this year. I'm really hoping so.

Looking forward to hearing folks thoughts on how it is running!

[CP_RULES]

On 5/7/2022 at 5:32 PM, bert425 said:

Highly recommended park, and also highly recommended to get FL+ for it. . . it's on 90% of the rides (coasters and flats), and 95% of them it drops you directly in the station rather than merge further back in the line as it does at CP)

I really really want to go to KI, but now that TTD down for the season at CP has been confirmed I am not sure... My husband is not an enthusiast and only entertains these trips for me. He asked me where I would want to go to include a park too, and Ohio was where I said. I am not sure Cincinnati provides enough of a draw for a whole trip for us. As a non-enthusiast, TTD was a must for him and CP was the icing on the trip.

I also have HUGE doubts about Mystic Timbers based on my Prowler experience. I would go into it with super low expectations, surely it could beat those. 

[bert425]

TTD is a one trick pony, and I've ridden it maybe 3 times in multiple trips to CP (MF, Maverick, and several others, I greatly prefer to TTD. . hell, I've even ridden Cedar Downs WAY more than TTD. . LOL. . and that's not even a coaster).

Kings Island is amazing, and think it's a better park than CP - especially for a non enthusiast, since they don't have as many "extreme" coasters as CP does. . and most of KI's coaster collection is mid-upper tier thrill, with don't' miss ones such as Orion, Beast, Diamondback, Bat, Banshee, and Mystic Timbers.  I'd throw Adventure Express in there too. . a very fun (and fast) Mine train coaster.   As well as some amazing flats including Boo Blasters on Boo Hill. .which is unlike any other version (think Disney Omnimover like Haunted Mansion, crossed with shooting dark ride).

If I had to choose?   I'd go to KI. .. and yeah, no comparison between Mystic Timbers and any other coaster. . the trains are great (no wheel seats, so wherever you sit, it's smooth). . .love that one.