Photo TR: Independance Day trip to Cincinnati

[WildStangAlex]

My family went down to Cincinnati for a long July 4th weekend. I had a lot of places I wanted to go and I met my goals. We first went to Jungle Jims International Market in Farfield. It really is the biggest supermarket I have ever seen. All food and cooking equipment. Neat bathrooms, and good prices. From there we stopped at Skyline Chili on the way to Sharonville for Coco Key. I work at the Chicago location and I like going to the other parks just for comparison purposes.

 

The Cincinnati facility is newer than ours, and I really liked it. We got a couple day passes and enjoyed the park for a while. These are my observations; There were 4 large waterslides (2 tube, 2 body), an indoor-outdoor hot tub, an activity pool with water basketball and lilly pads, a lazy river, an interactive water play structure with dumping bucket, and a children pool. In addition to the water activities, there was a full bar, A&W express, Pizza Hut express and arcade with birthday party rooms. The slides were fast, the park was clean, the [Ellis & Associates] Lifeguards were friendly and attentive.

 

The next day (7/3/09) we went to Coney Island in the evening. Parking before 4 p.m. was $7 and admission to the water park and rides after 4 p.m. was $11.95. We got there at 3:50 for cheap parking and paid for our admission after 4. Sunlite pool is the country's largest recirculating pool, which had 2 slides and 6 diving boards in it. Next to the pool was Twister, their new slide tower with 2 tube slides and 2 body slides. There was also the pipeline, 2 speed tube slides. They had a large selection of "Classic Rides" including a tilta-whirl, trabant, super roundup, tempest, scrambler, etc. At 8 p.m. they had a large hot air balloon demo, and at 10 p.m. they had a great Rozzi's fireworks display.

 

On July 4th, I went to Kings Island to ride 3 coasters that I have not yet been on. Through Northern Cincinnati Visitor's Bureau (www.cincynorth.com) I was able to get an e-ticket to Kings Island for only $30.99 including Tax. Parking was $10 and $15 for premium.

 

When the park opened I went to Invertigo for a walk on. I enjoyed it and give it a 8/10. (I miss Deja Vu) Then I walked on Delirium for a spin, and I give that ride a 10/10.

 

From there I went for two walk on rides of Flight of Fear. Now this used to be my favorite coaster at Kings Island. I noticed they added lights to the queue (boo). The launch no longer has an on-ride camera and the mid-course brakes were on so hard the train completely stopped. Otherwise it was just as fast and furious as always. Still 10/10.

 

Firehawk experienced some early morning downtime, but I was able to snatch a quick ride of a 10 minute wait. After riding Superman:UF so many times at SFGAm I somehow expected it to be something like that. It wasn't. The harness was awkward and not very comfortable, going up the lift backwarks was pretty cool, but the ride was very rough and I constantly felt like my legs would fall out of the restraint. Not a favorite. 3.5/10.

 

Vortex was running very fast! The mid course brakes had a lot of work to do to slow the train down. For being my first upside down coaster, I still love it. 8/10.

 

Diamondback was incredible. After riding Behemoth last year, which I though was pretty forceless and unoriginal, I didn't know if Diamondback would be a gem or just another coaster. The first thing I loved about the coaster was the video and audio in the line preparing you for your ride. Did I mention there was a single rider line? Great addition! I rode three times in different rows, including the front row. The first drop was insane and so were the two to follow, and the turns and bunny hills. The water splash effect looks awesome from a off-ride position. The ride really delivered, and that’s just what Kings Island needed. Congratulations to Kings Island, Cedar Fair, and B&M on a MASTERPIECE. It is my new number one steel coaster! 10/10.

 

The Beast was running relatively smoothly I felt. Comparatively [to Son of Beast] of course. However, the mid course breaks in the roofed section was a bummer because you don’t get that out-of control momentum building feeling that the Beast is known for. Therefore I give it a 7/10 for this trip.

Flight deck was right on as always even with the new seatbelts. 9/10.

As far as I’m concerned they ruined the Tomb Raider attraction when they made it the crypt. The cool queue is now over –lit and under-cooled. The pre-show room has its doors open to the queue and ride, taking the mysteriousness away. The ride itself was nothing special, just a typical top spin program with randomly flashing lights and odd music. Nothing special anymore.

After Kings Island I stopped in for a few minutes at Great Wolf Lodge. Since I was not staying there, I was not able to go into the water park at all, but they have large picture windows in the lobby. The park was massive to say the least. They had a play structure, wave pool, river, water basketball, toddler pool, master blaster, tube slides, body slides, a toiler bowl, a family raft ride, etc. The arcade was also very large at over 7,000 square feet.

 

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading, I hope to get my pics up soon!

[dragsterfan420]

Nice TR. I always enjoy reading/hearing about KI and the Cincinnati area. It stinks that the Crypt is in such decline. I rode it about this time last year and it was the best ride I ever had on it. It was intense and fast! Even better than when it was Tomb Raider. I guess they neutered it since then. Glad you had a good time. I anticipate the pics.

[Maverickrocks]

Great report! I was at KI on the fourth as well, in the evening for the fireworks. It was a lot of fun, and lines weren't too bad despite one train operation (including on Beast, which was ridiculous), and the fireworks were pretty impressive.

 

If you ever visit the area on the same weekend on a future trip, be sure to check out Stricker's Grove. That is one awesome little park, and Tornado is an excellent woodie.

 

And yes, The Crypt does suck, such a shame. First they trashed the theming. At the same time they made the ride program a lot better, but then changed it to the lamest program yet earlier this season and took away the doors concealing the ride. CF ruins indoor rides...it has ended up like Disaster Transport. What a joke of a ride...

[Reon]

Nice report! Good to hear someone actually reporting Coney Island for once, though you came on our busiest day of the year. Did you get everything you needed to in? On a normal day, you can probably hit everything in about an hour, but on the 3rd lines are insane. I don't know how they were this year, since I was stuck manning one of the ticket tables, and not on one of the rides....

[WildStangAlex]

In about 90 minutes I was able to get on 4 rides. I would've gone on more, but I didn't want to wait in the long lines. I got on all the water slides I wanted. No time for Python I loved Coney though!

[coasterville]

Yes,

You picked the ngiht of the Baloon Glow to go to Coney, otherwise you would have no trouble making a run of the classic rides in an hour or less.

 

That might also be why you mentined parking was $7 BEFORE 4pm, as the park really goes insane at night on the 3rd.

 

I know the weather was crappy all day on the 4th, but it sounds like you were able to get a decent amount of rides in iat Kings Island.

[WildStangAlex]

Yeah the weather was junk. But I was able to get on MOST of what I wanted before the rain. All I went on in the rain was Flight Deck and one extra lap on Diamondback. Pics should be up by tomorrow night thanks for your patience.

[EnglndPatriots6]

I'm heading up there Tuesday. Was the new seat-belts on Flight Deck anything major?

[WildStangAlex]

Just a between the legs belt like any B&M with OTSR's

[ThatFearless]

I went to Kings Island today, Diamondback and Beast still hold my top spots. Flight of Fear was amazing the first ride, but after you know what's coming, it sort of loses its authenticity.

[ThatFearless]

Flight Deck has shoulder bar restraints. I hadn't ridden on it before they were changed, what were they before?

[EnglndPatriots6]

^ Same. Last i rode it in 2006 it was just a regular old shoulder restraint. I dont like complicated things and i hope this doesnt turn out to be the case. The OTSR was perfect for the ride and was simple to use.

 

But the way you say they are, its basically like the restraints on the Reptar ride?

[WildStangAlex]

Here are the long-awaited pictures!

 

The fireworks and balloons were at Coney on July 3rd.

Courthouse in Greensburg, IN with a tree growing from its roof.

BEASTLY 30 YEARS OF TERROR

The date flowers

Patriotic!

Top gun is the best suspended coaster I've been on and provides great views of the closed Son of Beast and Great Wolf Lodge

Vortex

Diamondback.

Firehawk

Flight of Fear station. My favorite station of any Roller Coaster.

King's Island Theater (not Paramount Theater)

King's Island Time: Delirium

Wet rooster bar

Dip-in theater

Indoor Outdoor hot tub

Adventure River

Activity Pool

Hot tub

Parrot's Perch

Slide tower at Coco Key Cincinnati

Entrance

Scrambler through the trees

River Rocker

The Tempest- awesome ride!

The medium bag of kettle korn!

Sunlite pool- the world's largest recirculating pool

My mom and I by the giant Coney

A map of the place

Lake Como at Coney Island, Cincinnati

Award winning bathrooms

Jungle Jim's International Market in Fairfield, OH

[Reon]

Ah, Tempest. Fun to ride, but its the only ride I outright refuse to work at Coney nowadays! Also, that kettlecorn was epic! I was stationed at the ticket table right next to the vendor the whole night and the smell just kept taunting me. Luckily we were able to get some free samples...

[WildStangAlex]

Yeah I loved the Kettle Korn. Best I ever had!