Kentucky Kingdom (SFKK, KK) Discussion Thread

[KICoasterkev]

It looks like the park has a new general manager,  Sarah Worrell.  Craig Ross, the former GM of Kentucky Kingdom, will assume a new role as the president of Kentucky Kingdom.

Kentucky Kingdom names new general manager - Louisville Business First (bizjournals.com)

[mikeykaise]

Damn, that sucks. Ed Hart has always done a good job as president.

[PKI Jizzman]

Pretty surprised they won't be open at all in October. 

[teacherkim]

For God's sake. When are they posting 2022 hours for the park?! Anybody heard anything? I've got some plans to work on.

[swfan1988]

I think they are open on March 5, but I don't think anything will be open...

Agree that it's kinda strange that they haven't put anything out yet.

I'm not sure Herschend knows what to do with this place...so far they've added Cinnamon Bread and updated the website...

[jarmor]

I wouldn't count a walk thru event as opening.  Usually things are still being brought to life and the park generally opens a few weeks later.  Just gives fans a chance to see the behind the scenes things and ask questions and usually have some type of lunch involved.

[teacherkim]

Meh on the walk through, although thanks for the info. I am curious what news they will have to people that attend it however. I do agree with you about Herschend not knowing what to do with this park, or so it appears after the first year. However, willing to cut them slack since it was such an unusual first year and curious to see what direction they decide to go in.

[jarmor]

Yeah, I was about to say it's kinda unfair to judge what Herschend can do with this park during these unprecedented times.  However, how long have they owned wild adventures?

[mikeykaise]

At least the website and park map has been improved... lol

[swfan1988]

Alrighty! Herschend finally figured it out (maybe)! Kentucky Kingdom's opening day is April 30!

Calendar and Hours: https://www.kentuckykingdom.com/plan-your-visit/calendar/#/2022/4

[AmyUD06]

So I'm tentatively planning a stop at this park on my "big park trip" of 2022.  Problem is, I would only have 3 and a half hours (up to closing time) at this park, on Thursday June 30th.  Would that be enough time to hit all of the coasters, and possibly the drop tower?

EDIT:  I see also that it's only $5 more for a 2nd day ticket?  I was planning on visiting Holiday World the following day, but if I don't need a full day there I guess I could swing by in the morning as well.

[tndank]

Coasters only?  Most likely plenty of time with 3.5 hrs and you can probably sit on them for a couple laps.  Middle of the park is a sizable water park but I've never done it, so can't comment on that.

$5 bucks would pretty much guarantee you can wrap up things in the mornings if needed before going to HW.  You pick up an hour between parks.  Doubtful you'd need it, but for $5 it's not a bad move, right?

 

 

[Taylor Finn]

Holiday World is obviously the superior park. We only spent 3 or so hours at the park on a weekend last year and got on everything we wanted, including the drop tower and coasters. It is definitely doable.

[grsupercity]

1 hour ago, Taylor Finn said:

Holiday World is obviously the superior park. We only spent 3 or so hours at the park on a weekend last year and got on everything we wanted, including the drop tower and coasters. It is definitely doable.

false. Kentucky Kingdom is better. Both are fun in there own respects. Holiday World I think is the only park I have been to where I preferred the water park to dry park. They have an impressive collection of water coasters. Get a couple laps on Voyage, ride all the others coasters for the credits and then spend the rest at Splashing Safari. 

 

Kentucky Kingdom on the other hand has 3 coasters that can be marathoned along with a very impressive collection of flats and lots of alcohol! 

[prozach626]

On 5/10/2022 at 7:45 AM, Taylor Finn said:

Holiday World is obviously the superior park.

I didn't know the word "obviously" could be so subjective.

[Taylor Finn]

8 hours ago, prozach626 said:

I didn't know the word "obviously" could be so subjective.

Hahahah, I personally like Kentucky Kingdom a lot, too. It may have been obvious in years past but KK has definitely added some coasters. Both are fun parks, just Holiday World is more my speed.

[teacherkim]

On 5/9/2022 at 5:05 PM, Mike240SX said:

So I'm tentatively planning a stop at this park on my "big park trip" of 2022.  Problem is, I would only have 3 and a half hours (up to closing time) at this park, on Thursday June 30th.  Would that be enough time to hit all of the coasters, and possibly the drop tower?

EDIT:  I see also that it's only $5 more for a 2nd day ticket?  I was planning on visiting Holiday World the following day, but if I don't need a full day there I guess I could swing by in the morning as well.

3.5 hours will be plenty of time. I've never waited more than 15 min for anything there. The wp is pretty standard other than when they turn on the super waves in the pool and that is a better spectator sport than a participation event.

[thrillseeker4552]

Alright, I need some advice. I will be in the Cincinnati area this weekend. I'm going to Kings Island on Saturday, that is locked in. I have a hotel right near Kings Island on Saturday night and Sunday night. Considering I have all day Saturday with FL+ at Kings Island (which I've been to before minus Orion), I am heavily considering going to KK and HW on Sunday while I am in the area since I don't really need two entire full days at KI. Can someone please let me know if this plan is crazy or somewhat doable? Keep in mind it is a holiday weekend.

Get up early Sunday morning at my hotel near KI and drive to KK, getting there at 10am opening. Stay for 2-ish hours (however long necessary to ride the major coasters and re-ride a couple). Leave around lunch and head to HW, gaining the hour drive back. Getting to Holiday World around 1-2pm and staying until closing at 7pm. Drive 3 hours back to hotel near KI.

Is this too crazy? Any weird traffic patterns I should know about? Would arriving in the afternoon at Holiday World on Memorial Day Sunday be way too crowded to make it worth it? I'm not really a water park person so I am primarily interested in the woodies and Thunderbird.

I suppose I could ask this in the HW thread too. But I am asking about both parks, and if attempting this on Memorial Day weekend is a death wish or perhaps doable. Thank you all!

[bert425]

We are literally in the car on the way back from kk (we did holiday world on Thursday) and ki for 2 days between 

 

can’t really answer your questions. But will give my impression 

 

HW on thurs ended up rained out ~1:30 pm.  Park closed at 4 pm so we just called it at 3:15 and headed out to Cincinnati.   Thunderbird had 1:20 wait when we got there just after park open (no skip the line options)    But well worth it I thought 

voyage had 1:30 minute wait and was so rough. Even Kim said she’s never had that bad of a ride on it  and we rode in row 2 ! 
 

never got on raven or legend as they are both 1 train ops and the rain came during our queue for legend.  
 

so we rode a couple of flats (turkey shooter & hysterically awful nursery rhyme train)  before everything shut down completely.   
the park is beautiful and very much enjoyed walking the whole park even tho everything was closed down  

some unique flats and stupidly short starflyer too

 

the bumper cars are horses tho!

 

 

As to KK ?  Yeah. I liked it better than HW    So I’d agree it’s the superior park. But that’s because I love WTF things. And this park is a massive WTF? 
 

its right near the airport and in the convention center complex.   So the entrance to the park looks like it’s sitting across from a mall parking lot 

 

great selection of unique flats I’d never seen and some WTF rides such as a blimp ride that made me nauseous , a Flying Dutchman where you ride in a shoe, and this musical carousel where you ride the instruments !

 

no. Really: 

the coasters are interesting and lightning run is one of a kind   But I don’t like ejector air and both it and storm chaser have lots of it (so rode them twice but not high on my list)

thunder run looked to have a lot of new wood and tho warned it was rough?  Loved it and rode multiple times.   My favorite coaster in the park.   

Kentucky flyer was fun but short with some funky transitions

Didn’t ride T3 (NO thank you). But did ride the roller skater - which has a beautiful setting and unique layout I thought 

 

GORGEOUS carousel too. Tho sadly in need of a lot of love as the paint is in *bad* shape 

 

oh and they have cinnamon bread now too. (And lots of dolly and country music being played thruout the park ) 

if I can only go to one?

I’d go back to kk  even tho curious about trying the missed coasters at hw   Tho of voyage is the smoothest of the woodies?  Prolly good rained out 

 

 

[bert425]

Kim is driving. 
 

I read her your query. And she says yes it’s doable.  But not enjoyable

 

and holiday world will be PACKED in the afternoon (see above my comment about wait times shortly after open and raven & legend w/ 1 train ops 

 

id stick with kk.  Or do the reverse and start at hw and hit kk on way back to Cincinnati.  Kim agrees

[thrillseeker4552]

Thank you (and Kim) for the tips. Sounds like arriving mid-day at Holiday World, especially on a holiday weekend, is a no-go. Perhaps I'll take your guys' advice and do the reverse and start there, and hit KK on the way back if time/weather allows. I think I'm more interested in HW than KK. I've been on a million RMCs but the Voyage has been a huge bucket list ride for me, rough or not lol. Sad to hear you guys had a rough experience there.

So hopefully arriving at KK mid-day wouldn't be as bad as HW, and if so I'd just skip it and go back to KI. I guess I'll see how things play out before buying tickets.

Thanks

[bert425]

She says kk won’t be more busy in afternoon.  Especially since water park in center opens next weekend and will draw the crowd to that

[prozach626]

  

4 hours ago, bert425 said:

GORGEOUS carousel too. Tho sadly in need of a lot of love as the paint is in *bad* shape 

SFSTL says they can have it painted and good to go in three short years.

[KBrylczyk]

16 hours ago, bert425 said:

...and this musical carousel where you ride the instruments !

 

no. Really: 

[grsupercity]

18 hours ago, thrillseeker4552 said:

Alright, I need some advice. I will be in the Cincinnati area this weekend. I'm going to Kings Island on Saturday, that is locked in. I have a hotel right near Kings Island on Saturday night and Sunday night. Considering I have all day Saturday with FL+ at Kings Island (which I've been to before minus Orion), I am heavily considering going to KK and HW on Sunday while I am in the area since I don't really need two entire full days at KI. Can someone please let me know if this plan is crazy or somewhat doable? Keep in mind it is a holiday weekend.

Get up early Sunday morning at my hotel near KI and drive to KK, getting there at 10am opening. Stay for 2-ish hours (however long necessary to ride the major coasters and re-ride a couple). Leave around lunch and head to HW, gaining the hour drive back. Getting to Holiday World around 1-2pm and staying until closing at 7pm. Drive 3 hours back to hotel near KI.

Is this too crazy? Any weird traffic patterns I should know about? Would arriving in the afternoon at Holiday World on Memorial Day Sunday be way too crowded to make it worth it? I'm not really a water park person so I am primarily interested in the woodies and Thunderbird.

I suppose I could ask this in the HW thread too. But I am asking about both parks, and if attempting this on Memorial Day weekend is a death wish or perhaps doable. Thank you all!

Kentucky Kingdom is so much fun. Lighting Run and Storm Chaser are very good