Kings Island (KI) Discussion Thread

[cfc]

^I definitely prefer Magic Mountain's Viper to Kings Island's Vortex (although the latter is certainly not the worst coaster I've ever ridden).

[Philrad71]

^ I agree...and I think that most of us would also agree that there is a former coaster at KI that would make Vortex ride like an RMC.

[FaithPlus1]

I'd rather take a ride on SOB any day before one on Vortex. Hell gimme a ride on the original Bat before Vortex!! Just be honest, its a poorly designed ride. It looked cool during its time but its a rough ass ride. It all starts when you go up that first hill after the first drop.

[Ape]

Vortex seems to beat up adults much more than kids. Most of my friends and co-workers with families tell me their kids love Vortex. I loved it when i was younger too, but as I got older it just seemed to be uncomfortable. I have started riding in row 5 and now can enjoy the ride as it doesn't seem to hurt nearly as much.

[Rhyano]

I am personally 6 foot so i don't get much headbang, and Vortex doesn't hurt at all for me, its just fun, either, im tall or i am the 5/10000 people that enjoy Vortex

[Johnlloyd]

I am personally 6 foot so i don't get much headbang, and Vortex doesn't hurt at all for me, its just fun, either, im tall or i am the 5/10000 people that enjoy Vortex

 

I really enjoy Vortex as well. Luckily I'm not the only one on here!

[Philrad71]

^ & ^^ I admit that I actually used to like Vortex back when I was a teen too...I believe that I rode it about four or five times during a trip back in 1988 or 1989, if I recall - just a couple of years after it opened.

 

Get back to me when you are in your 40's and then let me know what you think - if the ride's still around. You youngsters can handle a lot more jolting than us old farts can!

[John Peck]

I'm just a hair under 6' 1" and I still love Vortex. I also just turned 42. I find myself disliking certain coasters "more" that I disliked due to roughness in the past. Or other thrill rides that I disliked or found mediocre in the past (Hurricanes, super loops), I like them even less now.

 

I have less of a will to re-ride certain rides nowadays, too, though I'm trying to decide if it's just due to age or if i've ridden them so much in the past, I don't care to ride them as much currently.

[Johnlloyd]

I'm just a hair under 6' 1" and I still love Vortex. I also just turned 42. I find myself disliking certain coasters "more" that I disliked due to roughness in the past. Or other thrill rides that I disliked or found mediocre in the past (Hurricanes, super loops), I like them even less now.

 

I have less of a will to re-ride certain rides nowadays, too, though I'm trying to decide if it's just due to age or if i've ridden them so much in the past, I don't care to ride them as much currently.

 

Height definitely helps when it comes to enjoying rides. I'm 6'1" and greatly enjoyed Vortex last year when I had visited! I also enjoy Vortex, Dragon Fire, and The Bat at my home park, Canada's Wonderland. I also enjoyed my ride on The Bat (AKA Top Gun/Flight Deck at Kings Island as well last year. I like it how I don't bang my head against the restraint but, I sometimes knock my knees depending on where I sit on an Arrow Dynamic looping or suspended coaster/train. I prefer sitting in the front of each car when it comes to riding Arrow Dynamics' coaster but, when I rode Adventure Express last year, luckily I had no problems with it in terms of knee knocking because the cars were quite spacious!

[DoinItForTheFame]

I am personally 6 foot so i don't get much headbang, and Vortex doesn't hurt at all for me, its just fun, either, im tall or i am the 5/10000 people that enjoy Vortex

 

I'm 6'4" and I still managed to get . I'll gladly skip this ride so you all won't have to wait as long!!

[coasterbill]

I'm 6'4 also and now I rarely find any Arrow coasters rough... Vortex is one of the few exceptions though, it's awful.

[Ape]

awfully awesome.

[Calvin6670]

Is the slingshot ride worth it or is it a waste of money? Is the extreme sky flyer worth it or is it a waste of money? Can you tell your on ride experiences for both rides if you have ridden them?

[SFOGdude25]

Is the slingshot ride worth it or is it a waste of money? Is the extreme sky flyer worth it or is it a waste of money? Can you tell your on ride experiences for both rides if you have ridden them?

Ride SlingShot first thing in the morning and the price is just $5 a person. In my opinion it's one of the more fun flats in the park extra price aside, but I wouldn't do it if it's more than $10.

 

Xtreme SkyFlyer also has $5 deals if you catch them at the right time. If you're not a fan of heights at all, you may find it to be terrifying being lifted up, but that moment when you pull the ripcord is one of the most thrilling exciting moments of any attraction in the park. It's probably the closest thing to flying you'll ever experience.

Edited January 12, 2016 by SFOGdude25

[bluestreak]

Is the slingshot ride worth it or is it a waste of money? Is the extreme sky flyer worth it or is it a waste of money? Can you tell your on ride experiences for both rides if you have ridden them?

 

I rode the slingshot at CP (which is much larger) for free but it was amazing and would gladly do it again even for the $25 CP charges for it. I have never ridden a ripcord/extreme sky flyer though so can't help you there.

[PKI Jizzman]

^What those two said. I actually didn't know this fact:

At Kings Island, SlingShot is located in the Oktoberfest area and the capsule is launched 275 feet (84 m) into the air going up to 100 miles per hour (160 km/h).

 

I never paid for it, but when I worked in games I got to ride it a couple times. It's pretty damn scary! But Skyfliers are better IMO; there's really nothing like it. It's pure freefall. It is terrifying, too haha. At Kings Island, the Skyflier is 150ft tall. I'd pay up to 20 bucks to ride, honestly.

[drummermattk]

Just a quick little update on tropical plunge. Vertical construction has started! Photo courtesy of kings islands official Instagram. No pictures as of yet of work that has been done to the entrance.

[Geauga Dog]

Having done both I prefer Xtreme Skyflyer over Sling Shot though Sling Shot is really not a bad extra charge ride.

 

If you want to try Sling Shot, as already mentioned, get to it early when the price is cheap and there is no line for it (it can get a bit of a line as the day goes on). Seeing the Eiffel Tower do a full 360 at the top is pretty cool to see. Skyflyer is scarier with those few seconds of pure freefall before the cable grabs you plus I like swinging out over the midway far below.

[Johnlloyd]

Just a quick little update on tropical plunge. Vertical construction has started! Photo courtesy of kings islands official Instagram. No pictures as of yet of work that has been done to the entrance.

 

This photo of the new entrance was released by Kings Island on the 29th of December.

 

[Calvin6670]

How scary or fun is firehawk? Can you tell your on ride experiences?

[PVA62]

How scary or fun is firehawk? Can you tell your on ride experiences?

 

It's fun but I avoid it now. It gives me a headache and it's slow operations are a pain. I can see people freaking themselves out thinking the restraints might come open and you'd fall. It is fun though, I enjoy the flying coasters. I prefer B&M to the Vekomas though.

[John Peck]

The Diamondback webcam is showing the old Funnel Cake building torn down. (it was being torn down yesterday)

[Guy T. Koepp]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

Where's Prince Desmond when you need him?

[John Peck]

Oh, also, it was actually a pretty good-sized building.

[Brassinthegrass]

Ladies and gentlemen let the games begin!

 

Here comes our long awaited Wooden Inverting Giga Aquatrax!