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Thanks for posting. They are very talented. With all that talent why don't they let them make true 3D raised lettering for The Racer's trains?

I do think they will need to find a way to change it up a little, but the storyline is fine as is IMO. They really need to add a few more voicelines/line variations for each character and change up the queue audio as well. It would also be really good to implement a "B Mode". I've noticed that the first furnace screen doesn't work in about 1/4 of the POVs I've seen from throughout the time it's been open. If anything is going to be changed for a potential Halloween/holiday overlay, you can add me to the list of people begging for Kings Island to use some of the original dialogue for it. Even if it's just an overlay during Haunt (keep the new stuff playing during Tricks & Treats) that would give the adults another fun thing to do if they don't want to pay to go through the mazes.

I'm pretty sure the shoes behind the curtain is just supposed to be a spooky Easter egg, to do something with that gap there.

I still haven't rode the ride yet, not until we make a trip to KI later this month. I've seen POVs but which character is having problems behind the curtain?

"Every sign has a starting point. 🔨 🎨 We're going behind-the-scenes with a look inside the #KingsIsland sign shop, where the park’s personality is built, painted & brought to life!" Kings Island just released this video and I thought it was very interesting & informative! https://www.facebook.com/share/v/18rtkQmBj9/

I would say that the flashlight aspects of the ride help with its rerideability, but compared to some other parks all the KI dark rides have stuck around for a comparatively short time. I think if they changed up the audio for a holiday overlay that could extend the variety for the passholders who’d be riding this attraction frequently. Hopefully these characters become mainstays in the park, and in 10-15 years they choose to update the ride rather than making a 7th dark ride in that space. I haven’t seen this talked about much so I imagine most people won’t notice, but the onboard audio is different for every other car which I appreciate. And they are seemingly adjusting the audio so each car only hears it once. Hopefully by June the ride can be operating and it’s full potential (I still have no idea what’s going on with that character behind the curtain)

Its sloppy and really just absolutely sick of AI being used everywhere. There is literally nothing good about AI that I can think of. I just want clean air, water, land and for people to use the thing between their ears.

I feel like KI might have to make alterations in a few years. There’s nothing wrong with the Opening Night story, but I feel like plot based rides usually have a shelf life, or at least the story does. Compare that to Mystic Timbers or Verbolten where there are multiple story possibilities that keep the experience feeling fresh. Then look at more ambiguous rides like the Haunted Mansion and the original Phantom Theater where the mystery allows for deeper lore building and immersion, which is part of what makes them feel timeless. For more context- for the original Phantom Theater: Maestro is the main speaker where he goes through 6 different spiels in the que, I believe 2 while he’s holding the curtain open, and I believe 3 when you see him before the prop room. There are other characters with minor speaking roles I’m sure @BryanJay can list but what I’m trying to say is that there was variety in the ride. Compare that now where you hear: ”Are you ready to be an usher?- it’s 10 minutes ‘til showtime” or “with one wave of my magic wand” on repeat. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy the park brought back the IP- I just hope they look into adding more variety in the audio for future seasons to add to the experience.

Six Flags’ first quarter 2026 results reveal a company focused on guest spending, regional season pass growth, operational discipline and long-term stability beyond roller coasters. Read more: https://themeparksbydon.com/six-flags-2026-strategy-theme-parks/

I think it's about what you enjoy. I actually would put Mystic Timbers barely in my top ten in the park let alone consider it an amazing wooden coaster but then again I'm not a huge GCI fan... I find the trains and restraints uncomfortable and getting thrown around like a ragdoll side to side constantly while whipping over airtime hills is just not my thing. If I want airtime give me a straight pop up and down with a buzz bar like Phoenix at Knoebels. I am still team Beast due to the incredible terrain and the fact that there is no other coaster quite like it despite its lack of traditional elements - not many other coasters are a 65mph train ride through the woods haha

It's my #1 wooden coaster as well. It wasn't until I rode a night ride on Dollywood's Lightning Rod 10 years later, that anything wood or steel compared even closely in excitement and intensity. I love Mystic Timbers, but I think there is a market at Kings Island for a wooden coaster that is taller and faster (maybe even longer!) than The Beast (as long as it's properly executed this time). It's just rather unfortunate because wooden coasters are cheaper. For the money they spent on the ho-hum Orion they could have built the best wooden coaster in the world.

I think I saw someone say the park is shooting for a Memorial Day weekend opening. That would be a nice goal if they're still working on it. It could also open this weekend or next weekend if the lineup was to get Monster open, then Adventure Express, then Invertigo. Zephyr might open before Invertigo, but that would still line up with the "one ride a week" theory.

Exactly this. The Voyage is the one and ONLY roller coaster on the planet that, if magically placed side by side with SV, would make the decision hard on which to ride if I only had time to ride one.

^^Voyage destroys The Beast imo. In fact I prefer Mystic Timbers over The Beast. While Beast has been running better in recent years thanks to the awesome work from the Gravity Group, rides like Mystic and Voyage has that non stop action packed airtime/twisted filled ride while Beast is mainly drops, gradual turns, and straight sections.

Any updates on the status of Invertigo recently?

Well the rights to both characters in terms of amusement park attractions belongs to six flags now so that's a similarity haha

I might be crucified but I actually prefer the Voyage slightly over The Beast. Never thought I'd say that but Voyage has the length and speed and offered a slightly more exciting layout. They are my top 2 wooden coasters - I see it as The Beast is the legendary classic and the voyage was the same idea but built decades later with all the modern elements and transitions. Both are amazing rides - the single best element on any wooden coaster is still the double helix finale on The Beast but I think the voyage is the stronger coaster by just a tad over the course of the entire run

RMC has made some amazing rides with impressive technology but Will Koch and the Gravity Group brought that special spark of creation to make The Voyage such a unique and incredible ride.

Great article Don! Next to a Beast night ride, The Voyage is hands down my favorite wooden coaster ever. The Voyage is the most unrelenting and aggressive coaster and I love every second of it. I was lucky enough to ride it over 20 times in one day last time I was there a couple years ago. Cannot get enough of it, although as I get a bit older I have to recuperate a bit the next day...ha!

100% while I'd much prefer them to hire a real artist or graphic designer the could have at least done their due diligence to make sure AI created realistic designs based on real photos or artwork. These look amateur at best and like they only prompted AI once and did not editing of whatever it spit out the first time. They shirts and designs look horrible and I've even seen some merch in the pass holder group with the park name spelled incorrectly due to AI merch errors....like what the heck literally nobody checked this before they hit print because the amount of errors is insane! The only way to send the message tho is to not buy this merch and let it all hit the discount racks next season when they realize they couldn't sell it. As long as people buy AI slop like this there is no incentive to stop creating more AI slop merchandise

What bothers me is that they use AI, but then don't fix the errors that exist. Like if I was the one in charge of what gets sold, I would be like "well Orion only has 3 rows so let's change that" That should have been addressed before they even printed shirts and hoodies of it. Just goes to show the lack of care they put into merchandise.

Twenty years after its debut, The Voyage still delivers one of the most intense rides in the world—and remains the best wooden coaster I’ve ridden. Read more: https://themeparksbydon.com/the-voyage-celebrating-20-years-of-wooden-roller-coaster-greatness/

I'm not here to split hairs over this. I realize there are plenty of situations where a kid may have had good parents and upbringing and still have behavior issues. That's just how it is sometimes. However, I will stand on business. Have you worked in a school recently? Because I have. I have worked as an SRO and I have worked for juvenile court. I've seen some of the worst child/parent situations. Not to mention we live in the age where the bullying/constant flow of being on the internet/information overload and dopamine hits for likes is through the roof. And this is what we see in real life every day in public places-the park being no different. Twice already, myself and my fiancé' have had a group of underage teens asking if we were of age and if they could come in with us. My response every single time is "absolutely not. I'm not liable for you". Moving on.

I remember I was expecting Mystic to be named SplinterCat up until the announcement and then that night when it was announced I couldn't wrap my head around the name Mystic Timbers bc it just sounded so strange and unexpected.

This all makes me really want to see an alternate reality version of the park with the alternate names/themes in place.