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Kings Island (KI) Discussion Thread

p. 832: Camp Snoopy announced for 2024!

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1. Is this a smart week to be at King's Island, or will it be crazy? I have no problem paying for Fast Lane, but would just like to know.

In my experience, if there was ever a park to buy a FL+ and walk right to the station almost every time, it's this park. We buy one regardless, just based on the awesome experience. Although we usually only go on Saturdays, anymore.

 

As far as the crowds go, it depends on what week day you're going. I would say once you get past Monday and Tuesday it might be business as usual. Someone else might be able to weigh in more.

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Kings Island pretty heavily has the crowds dictated by weather as it seems most of their crowd is pass holders. I have gone on some of these holidays and it wasn't bad at all and others we just turned around and left before going in.

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^FL+ any day, everyday! Seriously, I know I don't STFU about it, but when you have a packed park during the haunt and can still get on most rides within 5 minutes, it's a phenomenal experience.

 

FL+ is worth is just for all you want night rides on Beast alone, when I went last summer I had FL+ but only really used it for Mystic Timbers, Beast, FOF and Nighthawk, everything else was prettt much a walk on.

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^FL+ any day, everyday! Seriously, I know I don't STFU about it, but when you have a packed park during the haunt and can still get on most rides within 5 minutes, it's a phenomenal experience.

 

+1

 

We have used FL+ every time we have gone to the park, and even on the most packed days we are usually on the ride within 5 minutes! It gives allows you to ride EVERYTHING you want to ride, and gives you the chance to ride them probably more times than you want!! It's well worth the small fee!!

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I'm going to Kings Island with my boyfriend for the first time in my life next month (despite living close enough to have gone at least once by now) and my boyfriend bought FL+ passes. I've never understood the point of them unless you live far away and are only visiting the park for one day.

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The Beast, Banshee, Mystic Timbers, Diamondback, and The Bat are all excellent night rides (and excellent during the day, but also improve the most at night).

 

Kings Island is one of the best parks in the world for night rides, and depending on crowds and park close it's difficult to get to all of those at night, but I'd prioritize in that order. From my recollection The Beast always has a massive line at night, but Banshee can get pretty dead the last 90 minutes.

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Someone mentioned night rides on The Beast... Are there any other rides that I should make sure to include a night ride on?

 

You're going the week after memorial day, you're only going to get one night ride because the park is so far west in the time zone that it won't be fully dark until like 9:30. Get in line for the Beast about 45 minutes before park close, maybe a little more. You want to get in line late enough that it's dark when you get on the ride but early enough that you can get a front seat ride and they won't make you get in the next available row. The ride will suspend operations about 9:30 for fireworks, though the queue stays open but not a lot of people get in it and you need a sizeable line to build up behind you to guarantee you a front seat night ride.

 

If you have Fastlane you still want to get in that line early so you have enough people behind you that you can get in the front but you can go a little later than 9:15.

 

There are a lot of great night rides at the park but personally I don't care because the Beast is on another level.

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Great advice you guys, thank you! It's my first visit to KI, so any other tips would be appreciated. I keep thinking of random questions at random times... FYI, My current plan is to spend a Wednesday evening at the park, then most of Thursday (until about 7 or 8), then drive up to Cedar Point for Friday there.

 

PARK QUESTIONS:

1. Is there a certain order that seems to work best for hitting the attractions? I'm not opposed to FL+ since I'm getting in for free, but am hesitant to pre-purchase if I don't end up needing it.

2. Are there any non-coaster things that you think capture the spirit of the park that I should be sure not to miss?

3. Live shows that tend to be really good?

4. Unique traditions to either observe or partake in?

5. Unique food? I do know about the blueberry ice cream.

 

COASTER QUESTIONS:

1. Overall, I dislike jerky/rough coasters. I know Beast is obviously not going to be a picnic, but it's essential so I will deal with it. Any tips for minimizing discomfort on Beast and overall?

2. Diamondback's trains are so long, I'm guessing the ride is extremely different front vs. back. What's that comparison like?

 

So stoked for my trip!

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Front seat on Beast at night. Racer and vortex might not be for you. Do firehawk first thing the line moves dreadfully slow. Banshee can be done at any point of the day the line moves quick.

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I'm heading to KI and CP this June, and playing with the idea of switching out one day at KI to make a loooong day trip to Dollywood since I missed out on Lightning Rod last year (if it behaves this time).

 

My question concerning KI is about FastLane. I'm already sold on the value of it at this park specifically, so no need to try to convince me. I know this park has one of the best setups when it comes to those lines, but are there any that don't basically dump you right into the station? Thinking back on my previous trips it seems like on any of them that matter to have FL, you get right into the station with it.

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I can't recall any of the FL+ options that don't dump you into the station. Even Banshee and Mystic Timbers dump you right in. The groupers are also very generous with sending you into the station on the next available train and they usually keep the station capacity at one train. Even during the haunt when the FL+ lines can sometimes be 20-30 people deep, which is still rare throughout the day, I don't recall ever waiting more than 5 minutes to get into the station. Being spoiled at KI made our last CP FL+ uses feel disappointing. Carowinds and Kings Dominion also make great use of their FL+. Mid size parks FTW.

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1. Overall, I dislike jerky/rough coasters. I know Beast is obviously not going to be a picnic, but it's essential so I will deal with it. Any tips for minimizing discomfort on Beast and overall?

2. Diamondback's trains are so long, I'm guessing the ride is extremely different front vs. back. What's that comparison like?

 

There are rougher rides in the park than The Beast. My best advice would be to have some Tylenol on hand with you. I visited on a humid, muggy day, and, after getting bashed around on Flight of Fear (snappy transitions, taken in the dark = ragdoll effect) and then staring into the sun on Firehawk, I was pretty nauseous and had a headache for most of my visit. YMMV, but Invertigo, Vortex, Flight of Fear, and Racer are all rough rides, and Firehawk is somewhat unpleasant as much of it is backwards / upsidedown / facing the sun. The Beast, although fairly rough, is far more rideable I think — and it deserves multiple rides based on its history alone. Diamondback, however, is incredible. I personally prefer the back seat, but it's great everywhere. Although I'm not one for ranking, I think that's my favorite coaster, period. It's a great park with unique must-rides, but I'd plan for roughness.

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The last couple seasons Racer didn't seem as rough. Flight of fear has never bothered me either and I'm kind of a pussy when it comes to being uncomfortable on rides. I'm right there with you on Firehawk and Vortex, though. B&M flyers make me sick and Firehawk had twice the nausea factor for me.

 

I couldn't agree more with you on Diamondback. It may not be my very favorite roller coaster, but I don't think any other B&M hyper I've ridden even comes close to D-back. Its use of the terrain and sweeping curves at the bottom of the drops makes the coaster top notch. I can't say enough good things about this park. Beer Man is everywhere and there's also a full service Starbucks. This park is my lobster.

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I think that with Flight of Fear, some familiarity with the layout helps. I've found the transitions on Premier spaghetti launchers to be quite sharp — smooth, but still jarring. I went into it with a good sense of what it was going to do, but still got flung around pretty bad. It's an intense layout, and it's hard to prepare for the twists, but thank dog that it's a lapbar ride. And yeah, when I rode Racer, it wasn't that bad. Typical old woodie roughness on the bottom of the dips, but nothing overly painful. I'd say the roughness was on par with The Beast, only on The Beast it's more sustained. I was in such a bad state that day, though, that I think even the slightest jolt was amplified. I kept taking breaks by riding Windseeker and Delirium — two rides that I find relaxing.

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Lean slightly forward for a better ride and avoid wheel seats.

 

Amen to this. I made the mistake of sitting in a wheel seat, and the ride was pretty miserable. I then rode in the front seat at night that same day and it was glossy smooth. It's quite remarkable how much of a difference wheel vs non-wheel seats are.

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I can't recall any of the FL+ options that don't dump you into the station. Even Banshee and Mystic Timbers dump you right in. The groupers are also very generous with sending you into the station on the next available train and they usually keep the station capacity at one train. Even during the haunt when the FL+ lines can sometimes be 20-30 people deep, which is still rare throughout the day, I don't recall ever waiting more than 5 minutes to get into the station. Being spoiled at KI made our last CP FL+ uses feel disappointing. Carowinds and Kings Dominion also make great use of their FL+. Mid size parks FTW.

 

That's about what I thought. Thanks for the info!

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PARK QUESTIONS:

1. Is there a certain order that seems to work best for hitting the attractions? I'm not opposed to FL+ since I'm getting in for free, but am hesitant to pre-purchase if I don't end up needing it.

 

 

 

If you're looking at the KI map, I have found that on a BUSY DAY starting in the back and working my way counterclockwise is best with some exceptions that I will talk about later. At opening the majority rush in the direction of Banshee. If you start in the back the lines for Mystic Timbers, Diamondback, and The Beast will be at their shortest. Up until last year I would hit Diamondback first but with Mystic Timbers being new I hit that first, then Diamondback. That's probably still the best way to go. Some may argue that it's best to hit Diamondback first because you're passing it to get to MT but they are just about right next to each other and MT will probably have a longer line if you're hitting that 2nd.

 

Moving counterclockwise the Beast is next, and here is the first exception, Backlot Stunt Coaster would be next in line, but I would skip it here and hit Vortex, and then Windseeker is right next to Vortex. But I would skip Windseeker too for the same reason I would skip Backlot because next you are going to head down the Coney Mall to hit Firehawk, Flight of Fear, and the Racer.

 

The reason I advise skipping those attractions for now is because you need to beat the people who started their day off on Banshee to Firehawk. Some will say why not skip Vortex too because it's a crappy Arrow, my response would be, first, I actually enjoy Vortex, and second, the line for that will be long later in the day on a busy day.

 

So after Vortex get to Firehawk as fast as you can, then Flight of Fear is right there, and so is the Racer. Adventure Express is a fun mine train, that would be next.

 

When you get off Adventure Express what order you hit the rest in really doesn't matter. You're going to head for the Banshee area for Banshee (obviously), Delirium, Drop Tower, The Bat, and Invertigo. Congo Falls is also right there if you're looking to cool off. The lines for all those attractions will most likely be shorter by then.

 

On a busy day I have accomplished all that in under 3 hours. Then you have the rest of the day to hit the ones you skipped, re-ride's, and anything else.

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