Kings Island

^ Yes I was! That park looked amazing. I wish I could get to that park more often.

We made it official to make it there at least once a year. We went early in the morning then drove back to Sandusky at around 6. So, unfortunately I didn't get to experience the Beast at night.

I went to KI for the first time this year as well, and we were equally as amazed at the front of the park. It's just a gorgeous park with a really neat set of rides. I wish we lived closer, but we are for sure making a trip there every year. I can't believe I've missed out on this park all these years, and I can't wait to go back. Easily my favorite CF park that I've been to.

Kings Island has been a long time favorite of mine; my first visit was "back in the day" when Ruth Voss was still at the park. Even had the chance to ride the original Bat. A beautiful park. (Though there were some questionable choices during the Paramount years... Romulans in Rivertown?)

And The Beast at night is about as close to heaven as you can get.

I also made my first trip out there this season. Best employees out of any park I've ever been at, it's beautiful, and has a nice set of coasters. It is my third* favorite Cedar Fair park behind Cedar Point and Kings Dominion.

* haven't been to Knotts, Canada's Wonderland, or Michigan Adventure

Edit - random lightning bolt shut down Beast when I was about to get my night ride in...

So with Kings Island introducing Mystic Timbers this spring, what does everyone think about it? Are you following the progress and planning an opening day visit? I plan to be there opening weekend unless my job rejects it, but I doubt it will be a problem. Also what is everyone's thought of what's in the shed?

Rougaroo has been missing since day one, perhaps he's in the shed.

We Will be checking out mystic timbers this year early in their season, we usually go to KI once a year anyway. Be great to get on another GCI.

I'm excited for the ride, I'm very excited to see how it runs. Being that I live/work extremely close to Kings Island I'm sure I'll frequent the park with having a new coaster next door. The shed deal seems exciting, and with all the hype and marketing going behind that, it had better deliver. There's a part of me that does see the possibility of something grand, but at the same time could be something like the disco yeti at Disney, just not sure yet.

Also...there's this..which is even funnier considering Angry Orchard is also bottled in Cincinnati.

If Cedar Fair ever started doing ride sponsorships, this would be one well fit sponsorship (I'll take my finders fee now please ;P)

Tbh, it's not so much Mystic Timbers I'm excited to check out, but King's Island as a whole. I have been mildly following the news on it though, and hope to check it out. I haven't been to KI in approx. 25 years (I was probably 8 or 9), but I think we might make a trip out there this year for a day or so before we hit up CP for a couple days. It's hard to be super pumped about just 1 coaster when there are tons of new ones (to me) to ride. Banshee, Diamondback, Firehawk...some cool looking stuff. Hopefully the gf agrees and wants to add a stop at KI to our CP trip!

thedevariouseffect said:

...it had better deliver.

If by "deliver" you mean "not disappoint enthusiasts", of course it won't!

In all seriousness, it's almost certainly just a tunnel with some projected scenes or whatever. And while nothing Earth-shattering, I dig the idea of something to look at while the trains are stacked.

F1rePhant0m said:

...King's Island as a whole. I have been mildly following the news on it though, and hope to check it out. I haven't been to KI in approx. 25 years...

We visited this past summer, and I too hadn't been in a while. I think it was 1991, so 25 years for me as well. The park has certainly changed, and in my view entirely for the better. If you have kids you'll be especially impressed by their Planet Snoopy.

^Well what I mean by it was explained. If they're hyping the shed at the end of the ride more than the stats & overall ride experience, it had better have something worth having as much PR as the ride itself. If it didn't have as much PR, ok I would expect something interesting but obviously emphasis is on the ride. However EVERY marketing deal you see talks more about the shed than the actual ride layout/statistics.

That's because on paper, the ride is completely unremarkable. It doesn't even crack the top 25 in height, speed, or length. So they're marketing the shed, which seems to be somewhat unique.

I would add that I strongly dislike the term "hype", especially in this case. I think the enthusiast community automatically equates any sort of marketing effort with "hype", which seems to inevitably lead to disappointment regardless of the quality of that which is being marketed.

At the very least, the shed appears to house the transfer tracks.

I'm not expecting much more than a dark ride experience of some sort, in the same vein as what djDaemon described. However, what I am anticipating (albeit much less eagerly) is the whining and complaining that will ensue when we do find out.

I'm hoping to make it down to KI at some point this summer, as I haven't been down there since May of 14. Definitely excited for Mystic Timbers, as well as Banshee, Diamondback and the Beast again

We really enjoy King's Island and there's no better time to ride a wooden coaster than when it's brand new! Planning on 4/22 or 4/29 weekend.. whenever the weather is more ideal. I couldn't care less what's in the shed just excited for fresh wood from the GCI masters. Always a great time in Cinci.

If only they were open on 4/20 ;)

Coaster is blazingly fast :P

I'll be going to my first ever Coasterstock at KI this year. I look forward to getting lots of rides on MT during the ERT. And the behind the scenes tours look like they will be fun.

I'm hoping to go to Coasterstock 2018. Not enough vacation time available to go this year. But the possibility of going to Coasterstock was a big part of buying Platinum passes for 2017 instead of the usual CP Season passes we usually get.

In short, I love Kings Island. Very deserving park.

As for new KI news, the sign for Vortex has been taken down. What will this mean in the future?

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPgI48chkpu/?taken-by=kingsislandpr

A new sign.