Kentucky Kingdom (SFKK, KK) Discussion Thread

[thrillseeker4552]

The signs along the que says 35 mph but I heard someone say something about being closer to 50.

 

It's physically impossible for this coaster to reach 50 mph given its height. But I'm sure the tight hills and transitions of these Gravity Group coasters makes it feel much faster though. Probably the fastest-feeling 35 mph ever!

[DoinItForTheFame]

...The signs along the que says 35 mph but I heard someone say something about being closer to 50.

 

Don’t believe it!!! I’ve heard someone say TTD reaches over 200mph.... people will say just about anything now days days if they think it makes them seem some how superior by “knowing” something others don’t.

[tndank]

Driving back from KI I decided to hit up Kentucky Kingdom. Never been before. Had a great time. I can't wait to return later and see the whole park going.

 

Not many people there today. Everything was a walk on which was nice. 2 trains going on Flyer so it was pretty much walk up the stairs and sit down. Fun little ride. Rode it a few times and enjoy it. Like everyone else has said, little more airtime than I really thought it would have.

 

I enjoyed Lightning Run and it is super smooth. Storm Chaser was really nice. I have been riding Lightning Rod a bunch lately and Storm Chaser holds it's own. I was grinning the whole time. Rode it a bunch today. The first drop/roll and hill are top notch.

 

T3 is ok; just a little rough here and there. Thunder Run was decent enough. Seemed to have a ton of new track towards the end.

 

Everyone was nice. Couldn't ask for more. I'll be back soon.

 

Also met Daniel from Midway Mayhem and some OVC guys and chatted with them. Nice folks. Nice running into some youtube'ers that I've watched for awhile. Good times today.

[JJLehto]

Many are saying this is a great, probably best, family coaster, but this looks like a legit good coaster

Looks like it carries good speed over the hills, (yeah not real fast but not real big either, all enthusiasts know everything is relative) and just saw a rider POV....there was a pretty good amount of airtime.

 

Given the park has 2 A+ coasters already this is indeed a superb addition.

[ShaneH]

Kentucky Flyer is the first small Gravity Group I've ridden and it is a perfect family coaster. I had tons of fun on it and so did people across all age demographics. I rode with a little kid when he needed someone to ride with and he loved it. It was his 2nd coaster after Roller Skater and it was very thrilling but not too scary for him. Overall a super reridable and fun coaster that I plan on riding each visit to the park.

[palmerleeberry]

...The signs along the que says 35 mph but I heard someone say something about being closer to 50.

 

Don’t believe it!!! I’ve heard someone say TTD reaches over 200mph.... people will say just about anything now days days if they think it makes them seem some how superior by “knowing” something others don’t.

 

I have a feeling we need someone with a radar gun to settle this debate. I saw on an episode of "Mr. Wizard" on Nickelodeon ( This was years and years ago) when he took a radar gun to the amusement park and recorded how fast their corkscrew coaster was going down the lift hill. The kid that traveled with him ( Mr. Wizard always have a kid with him when doing science experiments) told Mr. Wizard that when the train goes down the first hill it felt like he was going a hundred miles an hour, but when Mr. Wizard scanned the coaster train going down the first hill he announced that the train was going 35 mph. Now 35 mph isn't very fast when traveling in a car, but in a coaster car going over hills and tight curves at that speed can make the rider feel like they are going very fast. He also scanned the swinging pirate ship in that same episode and announced that that ride swings back and forth at 18 mph.

 

So if you want to find out how fast a certain coaster train is going then invest in a radar gun.

[diamondzznspurs]

Have to chime in as well, we were lucky enough to attend Media day and quite honestly we were blown away. We've only been to the park once and it wasn't a good representation as it was during the state fair and a lot was closed. The food spread was so awesome and everything I tried was so good. I was not expecting much from the coaster as it was advertised as a family coaster, boy was I wrong. If I was young I would have been terrified of this coaster. It doesn't look like a whole lot but oh my was it fun. The only negative I would say is I wish it was longer. I rode three time, front, second and last row, my preference is front. We really didn't have any plans of going back but after riding this coaster and the great event KK put on we will definitely be visiting this summer.

[mikeykaise]

I was the same way, 35mph family coaster no big thrill for coaster people there but then as soon as I dropped I was like wow! Are you kidding me right now... lol

[RollerManic]

This park has an obsession with airtime and I freaking love it. Even their drop tower is the best and its only 130ft tall.

[prozach626]

 

I have a feeling we need someone with a radar gun to settle this debate.

 

No radar gun is necessary. I trust Newton.

 

It's physically impossible for this coaster to reach 50 mph given its height.

 

This. Maybe the coaster train varies within a couple miles per hour, but a 30% increase is not realistic.

[mikeykaise]

The other thing that helped is it had down poured a couple of times during the media event which made the ride even better.

[Midgetman82]

A quick glance at RCDB, every other taller coaster in the park hits somewhere in the 50-55 mph range. If you've ridden them all, you might have a better understanding of how that sense of speed compares to KY Flyer. Doesn't ignore the fact that it still has great pacing for its size. Every element being so compact and sudden makes for such a small coaster still maintaining its fun factor.

 

A bit of a deviation, but I find it neat in the fact that Kentucky Kingdom was able to premiere and get attention for a coaster of this size at a time where the only other new coaster "competing" for attention was a 200+ft B&M dive up in Canada.

[tndank]

Swung by KK on my way home from Kings Island on Sunday. Not many people there as expected. Rain shut down most rides for about 30 minutes at one point while we were there. They did keep Thunder Run going in the rain.

 

The workers were nice. Didn't have to walk around after rides. Could hop to different seats between rides. Rode the Flyer a few times in the back without getting up. Same for Storm Chaser and Thunder Run. Spent about 3 hours there and got in a dozen rides, I think.

 

I had read their drop tower was actually pretty good. Ended my visit there and I agree. It's a good one. I liked the fairly instant drop once you hit the top.

[Too Fast For Comfort]

A quick glance at RCDB, every other taller coaster in the park hits somewhere in the 50-55 mph range. If you've ridden them all, you might have a better understanding of how that sense of speed compares to KY Flyer. Doesn't ignore the fact that it still has great pacing for its size. Every element being so compact and sudden makes for such a small coaster still maintaining its fun factor.

 

A bit of a deviation, but I find it neat in the fact that Kentucky Kingdom was able to premiere and get attention for a coaster of this size at a time where the only other new coaster "competing" for attention was a 200+ft B&M dive up in Canada.

 

Anybody who thinks that a family who lives in Kentucky is basing their trip to Kentucky Kingdom on what is going on up in Canada just doesn't understand how our amusement park industry works.

 

Disney and Universal can affect families decisions across the country potentially, but typically, for the other parks -- unless you're an enthusiast -- you tend to stick to the parks in a 100 mile radius or less. You won't necessarily get in a plane to go to a park because it has a coaster better than the one at your home park.

[Intamin_coyote]

^I don't think he thinks nor was trying to suggest that.

 

Hence quotation marks around "competing"...

[prozach626]

I think he was making a point about all of the hype this coaster generated despite it's small size. It was easy to understand. But, he clearly doesn't understand how our amusement park industry works.

[Midgetman82]

Nah, I totally meant Kentucky families are packing their passports to hit up a park 9 hours north in another country.

 

 

 

 

Joking aside, yes, I meant the hype around the rides. Particularly online (cuz that's honestly one of the only ways I can base things like that). If this debuted the same year as, say, some potentially massive project a few hours away, it potentially wouldn't get as much attention.

[Too Fast For Comfort]

Nah, I totally meant Kentucky families are packing their passports to hit up a park 9 hours north in another country.

 

 

 

 

Joking aside, yes, I meant the hype around the rides. Particularly online (cuz that's honestly one of the only ways I can base things like that). If this debuted the same year as, say, some potentially massive project a few hours away, it potentially wouldn't get as much attention.

 

I completely misread the post. I must have missed my morning coffee that morning. My bad.That's on me.

[WolfBobs]

Joking aside, yes, I meant the hype around the rides. Particularly online (cuz that's honestly one of the only ways I can base things like that). If this debuted the same year as, say, some potentially massive project a few hours away, it potentially wouldn't get as much attention.

 

Judging a rides hype from online forums that specifically focus on amusement parks is probably not the best way to judge a rides hype. You're focusing on a bunch of nerds and fanboys who follow the industry with a constant eye and will hype any new ride. Just always remember we are not the majority of guests for parks or for this industry but a very small but focused and passionate percentage.

 

The vast majority of guests at any regional amusement park probably have never been to another park outside of vacations to Orlando and don't follow the industry. If you went to a shopping mall in the Louisville area and randomly polled 1,000 people you may be surprised how few know anything about Kentucky Flyer let alone Yukon Striker. Yet if you came on here and polled 1,000 people you'd get obnoxiously different results.

[Midgetman82]

I've been pretty absent on forums lately, to be quite honest, so most of it is attention or hype brought on by bouncing around social media. (Though I'll admit I'm still not away from fanboys/enthusiasts/regulars/etc there.)

 

And I don't take all this too seriously. They're just things I've seen, nothing more nothing less.

[Diamondbacker27]

I do feel like Kentucky Flyer is getting more attention than any other attraction they've opened has. That might just be me though..

[ratdogg68]

Had me a zen ride, backseat, on Kentucky Flyer yesterday. Love that coaster, it packs a punch for it's size.

Kentucky Flyer

[Bubba83]

Hi - I'm looking to visit Kentucky Kingdom for the first time and I'm wondering if anyone can give me an idea about what the crowds are like during Kentucky Fair Saturdays - what kind of wait times would I expect on the better coasters? Do you think Labor Day weekend would be less busy?

 

Trying to figure out how to schedule my trip to hit some of the parks around these parts later this year. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Diamondbacker27]

Hi - I'm looking to visit Kentucky Kingdom for the first time and I'm wondering if anyone can give me an idea about what the crowds are like during Kentucky Fair Saturdays - what kind of wait times would I expect on the better coasters? Do you think Labor Day weekend would be less busy?

 

Trying to figure out how to schedule my trip to hit some of the parks around these parts later this year. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Labor Day was pretty busy last season, fair is kind of a hit or miss. During the fair, you'll have to pay $10 to park, parking is a huge hassle, and the park typically offers some special admission deal to reel in crowds. Even when it is busy, the waits are typically no more than 30 minutes per coaster.

[mikeykaise]

During State Fair you'll have to pay for parking and admission to the State Fair as well as a separate admission to KK.