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When the sun set on the 2016 season, my assumption of how I would start the 2017 season came nowhere near what really happened. In December, my parents encouraged me to apply for a job at Kings Island, which surprised me because I thought they wouldn't let me take a job that required a fifty-minute drive one way. But since I now had my driver license, my need to make/save money for college, and my parents' approval, I took the first of many steps on December 12, 2016, when I applied for a Ride Operator position at Kings Island. Wednesday, January 18, 2017 started out as normal day, then when I got home from Zumba that night...I found a voicemail and an email from the Rides Department asking to set up an interview!! I responded to the email and set up an interview for the following Wednesday. January 25 could not come soon enough, but when it did, I marveled at the quiet and empty Kings Island as I headed to the Operations building for my interview. The interview was fun and it went extremely well, ending with both me and the other applicant each being offered a position! I hoped that working WindSeeker/Vortex would be one of the choices, and surely enough it was. I walked out of the Operations building with a new job at my favorite ride! The other applicant there with me chose to work Drop Tower/The Bat. After finishing my senior year of swimming and also turning 18 years old, the month of March arrived, bringing Processing (March 5), Orientation (March 18), and Rides General Knowledge (March 25) along with it. I got to see Delirium and Sling Shot testing. I was unable to attend my on-ride training on April 9, but I only had to wait six more days before I could get trained. This is where my Opening Weekend adventure begins... At 9:26 p.m. on Sunday, April 9, I received a notice saying that my crew's schedule for the first two weekends of the season had been published, so I confirmed the notice and looked at the schedule. I noticed my crew had a lot of unassigned shifts, including one opening shift on April 15. I had no school from April 14-17 in observance of Easter and my family had nothing special planned that day, so I would be able to work. After much talk with my parents making sure they were okay with it, I picked up the shift on the evening of Monday, April 10, and with it came much anticipation. Finally, the day came. I was now headed to my very first day of work. April 15 Part 1: Associate Standpoint of Opening Day 2017 Knowing that Preview Night traffic had backed up immensely on Interstate 71 (and anticipating that Opening Day would be the same), I used my alternate, traffic-free route (State Route 48 to Mason-Morrow Rd/Columbia Rd to Kings Mills Rd) to get to the park, passing by a nearly full left turn lane into a long line for the parking gates on Kings Island Drive as I headed to the associate lot. When I walked into the park, the very first song I heard was How To Train Your Dragon's "Romantic Flight," one of my all-time favorite movie soundtracks! It sounded so amazing in the wide entry plaza and it, like the other instrumental songs, complements International Street extremely well! I met my crew and my supervisors, and I showed them the picture I had drawn on April 11 for Vortex's 30th anniversary. When they saw it, they said it looked really cool and that it should be shown in the window of Vortex's drive box. Even the area supervisors loved it! Here's what it looks like: In just a matter of moments, a drawing I had made just for fun had become another new thing to see in Vortex's station! What an honor for that little picture. As we headed back to Vortex, it started pouring!! The rain let up for a moment when we arrived, but started pouring when we all stood under the roof of the station, where Train #2 was parked with the other two trains on the lift and brake run. The trains were cycled a few times as my supervisor began my location training. The rain persisted, which delayed opening by not too much time. When the rain let up again, this time for the rest of the day, we began cycling again, during which I practiced checking restraints. The supervisors started asking who wanted to test ride, as they needed three of us (one on each train) to ride. Of course, I volunteered, and hopped aboard Train #1 in the front left seat -- the SAME seat that took me on my 100th, 200th, and 300th rides!! Since it had just rained, I felt a wonderful mist at the bottom of the first drop! The ride went quite smoothly and without any problems, and yes, I greatly enjoyed taking my 318th Vortex ride as the first human rider of Opening Day of Vortex's 30th anniversary season. How sweet is that?! Once we opened, things really got kicking. My first ever position on Vortex was one of the two "unload" positions where I checked the restraints on the first three cars (though on the first time I got carried away and checked the whole train. ) and manned the exit gate, as well as open/close the appropriate storage bins in the front half of the station. I also helped guests who needed alternate access, as I would be the first person they would see. At some point while working Unload, someone else from KIC came up to me and asked if I was from KIC, to which I of course said yes. I didn't recognize him, though, as I had never met him, but it was great to see someone else who knew about KIC! Once it was time to rotate, I finished my training at Vortex and officially signed off as a Level 3 Vortex associate before heading to WindSeeker to train there. At WindSeeker, I shadowed another crew member in the Op-3 (separator) position. After a few cycles, I began assigning seats, as well as checking the lap bars and holding down the button when the driver said "Ready." The first cycle I ever cleared on WindSeeker flew to the soundtrack of Dimitri Tiomkin's "The High and the Mighty." Before I knew it, the hour was up and it was time for me to go on break. After finishing at WindSeeker, I embarked on an extremely brisk walk (as I had only 30 minutes) with one of my supervisors and another crew member who was also the only other newbie (yes, everyone else on my crew who were there this day were all returners!). I had two slices of pizza, chicken tenders with honey mustard, and a cup of lemonade for my very first lunch break at Kings Island. And yes, the sauce on the pizza was rather sweet. I kept thinking about The Interpreter's posts on here regarding such pizza and the sauce tasting "sickeningly sweet." It was still good though! After we finished eating, the three of us speedily walked back to Vortex. I was originally supposed to go back to WindSeeker but the wind had picked up and it had closed by the time we got back. So I went back to the same position I worked during the first hour after opening until the next rotation, when I became the separator. This was the part of the day that I was most nervous about. Yes, I am well aware that this job involves interacting directly with guests; I just had never faced thousands of them in so little time before! I actually started to feel the slightest bit light-headed out of nervousness, but after saying a quick prayer I sucked it up and started doing what a separator does. Eventually, I got comfortable enough that I would ask the guests in the front of the line how their day was going, what have they done yet today, what their favorite ride is, etc. I talked with guests who had ridden Vortex when it first opened in 1987, and also with guests who were riding it for the first time. A few guests commented on how fast the line was moving, and they were impressed that they had waited only fifteen minutes and they were already almost to the front of the line. All the guests I asked said they were having a good day, which was great to hear. It made the hour more fun to engage with the guests, and I'm sure it added to their already good day! The only setback was that the lemonade I had at lunch was now working against me. I was so thirsty and my throat was dry, but that did not stop me from doing my job! My last position of the day was back on Unload, though this time I was responsible for checking the back four cars of the train and for the storage bins on the back half of the platform. I had no exit gate to open or close, which bought me a few seconds of spare time to entertain my thoughts about my job, including one moment when I was thinking "Am I actually working on Vortex?!" after I had cleared another train and it was rolling out of the station. But I couldn't reflect on my personal thoughts for long, as just a moment later the next train would arrive and the next riders would board. This job is so fast-paced that if you get distracted even for a moment, you may fall behind or miss something important. I'm in for a crazy summer! One of the things that helped speed up the loading process was to offer to put riders' loose articles in the bins for them. As a train came in I would scan the people in front of the line and if any were holding backpacks and/or a bundle of souvenir bottles, I would offer to put them in the bin when they got on, which they appreciated. The trains rarely stacked, which helped the line go faster and of course help the hourly capacity! My crew and I were really rolling, pun intended. Finally, it came time for me to end my shift as I passed off my position to an associate who had just arrived for her shift. I was having so much fun (albeit I was a little tired) that I felt a little sad when I had to clock out. But that's a good thing, because it means I love my job (even though now it is so overwhelming) and I am eager to return for my next shift (which won't be until after my school musical is over)! I walked (though not as briskly as earlier ) out of the park and to HR where I changed into my guest clothes, since I was planning to enjoy a few rides as a guest before I left for the day. Part 2 (Guest Standpoint) Coming Soon! P.S. I don't know if this is too much information about what I'm doing at work; if it is, I'll modify this accordingly as soon as possible. I have already checked that I have not gone into too much detail. I triple-checked the Associate Handbook and what I read from it was that basically as long as I post as myself and not on behalf of Cedar Fair (and not disclose any confidential information), I should be good. I have not seen anything in said handbook against associates posting about their job (general details, anyway). 4/24 Edit: I found out earlier today from my supervisor (who read this, by the way!) that everything I said here is perfectly okay to say. Good to know for sure I'm not going over the line!

The lights were on all night, at least every time I came by to film them. So happy to see them back!

FYI, A lot of you are very interested in Kings Island's history. This season, I'm honored to be blogging for the park on their website about the origins of the park all the way up through all the current rides. The first full installment was posted today. Here's the direct link: https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2017/april/a-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-rides

Interesting ideas! I hadn't thought of it that way. The impression I had was a bit more straightforward, haha: The Miami River Lumber Company opened in the woods near KI. However, not long after, something evil took residence in the shed and caused all employees to flee and put the entire facility on lockdown. (In the middle of the frantic evacuation, one of the trucks is crashed into the entrance sign and promptly abandoned without so much as turning off the radio.) The only employees left were security people who are there to keep people away. We, as guests, are trespassing on the Miami River Lumber Co. grounds, along with the guy and girl shown in the video. (I'm assuming we consider ourselves "urban explorers"--think Adam the Woo on YouTube.) We wander the grounds (i.e., the queue) to explore, and we come across an abandoned backpack and radio. We hear... something in the shed. We push forward, eager to see what's caused everyone to head for the hills. As you approach the station, the guy and girl "see" you on the security cameras and, using the company's PA system, urge you to run--there's truly something awful lurking in the shed. They urge you to hotwire "that truck" (i.e., the coaster train) and escape. (This is the audio that plays just outside the station--it's one of the harder audio clips to make out, which is a little frustrating. It's one of the most important parts of the story!) So, you do just that. The truck roars to life, and you pull out of the station. As you do that, someone in the security office catches you on the cameras (and, I'm assuming, has found and apprehended your fellow explorers.) He tells you to stop via the PA and go home. You press on--and just before you're out of earshot, he warns you not to go into the shed. The next bit is a little fuzzy to me, so I'm probably taking some liberties here: I think the noise after the security guard warns you about the shed is supposed to be a microphone screech, as if the guard has been suddenly yanked away from the microphone by... something. And then the ride begins. Story-wise, I can't choose between three different scenarios for what role the ride itself plays: Scenario 1: Throwing caution to the wind, you take the truck for a joy ride. This is your adventure, and you'll make of it what you will. You hop hills, make sudden turns, and splash through a nearby pond until you happen upon the shed. And you try to stop, but something has taken control of your truck and draws it into the shed... (Alternatively, maybe you just think everyone's overreacting and decide to call their bluff by entering the shed yourself? Maybe it's curiosity?) Scenario 2: Fear grips you when the security guard is pulled from the microphone--you want nothing to do with this shed, and you hit the gas and begin flying through the woods to escape. You don't know which way you're going, but you have no time to think--it's fight or flight. Alas, you suddenly hit the brakes--you ended up at the shed after all! Was it your poor sense of direction, or did the woods themselves lead you here?! Before you can put the truck in reverse and escape, something takes hold and causes your truck to enter the shed... Scenario 3: Much like what's shown in the announcement video, you're meant to imagine that the woods have suddenly gotten a mind of their own and are chasing you through the woods. They lead you to the shed, and you have no other choice but to enter... Regardless of which scenario we're meant to experience, we enter the shed and discover what lies inside. I guess, for the story's sake, we technically died? The tale pretty much ends there. It might not win any awards for best storytelling, but I really love the theme of Mystic Timbers. It's simple, but it's definite. (Even better, it's not the blatant clone of Verbolten's theme that I was afraid it would be!) It makes me incredibly happy to have storytelling at KI again. And it's even an awesome ride without the theme, to boot. But with the theme, I've honestly felt myself be more excited to re-ride MT than I have any other new ride since I've been buying myself a pass, which has been every year since 2008. Mystic Timbers is a big win for KI. For me, the storytelling is a large part of why I think that. I honestly hope we see more like it in the future.

IT seems like it's time to modernize to submersible LED fountain lighting anyway, if the decision makers so desire. I can think of some practical uses for drones as it relates to scaring away Canada geese.

On Media Day, one of the people who got up on the podium to speak was from, I believe, the company that did the preshow (so what you see on the screens in the queue and hear over the speakers before the station). She gave a rundown of the supposed history, but it really doesn't make a lot of sense when you compare it with some of the other theming... From what I remember of what she said, in the early 1980s, when looking for a location to build the new Miami River Lumber Company, they found an old shack in the woods that was said by locals to have been abandoned/avoided due to mysterious disappearances. They tore down the shack and began to build for their company (because why wouldn't you want to build at the location of a haunted shack?), with the Shed being in roughly the location of the original shack. There were some disappearances but eventually the place was built and they opened: for one day! Something happened and everyone fled, wrecking the work truck against the post in their haste before continuing on foot. And the Shed has been sitting abandoned ever since.

I spent yesterday as well as Friday evening/night at the park, and I was able to ride Mystic Timbers 4 times. It truly is an incredible addition to the park and I loved the ride from the point I first saw its plaza. Everything about it was a homerun for the park, which I'll go ahead and describe in detail. Location When the first signs of construction appeared in this area last year, I was very skeptical that a coaster would be placed here. If you would've asked me where I thought KI's next coaster would go, I don't think I would have mentioned this location at all. Then once we got the blueprints, I was still curious about the exact placement since I truly didn't think that spot could successfully work for a new coaster. However, the Planning and Design Team as well as GCI proved me wrong. When the official ride layout was released, I was very impressed with how they integrated a decent length coaster with the woods and existing rides. After seeing and experiencing it in person, I honestly love the location, and it's hard to imagine Mystic Timbers not being there before. I love how from the parking lot you can just see the top of the lift hill peeking up, and same with from a few other areas of the park. I love the view standing near the Rivertown LaRosa's. Seeing Diamondback in the foreground with MT's lift hill behind it, it looks really nice and seems like a perfect fit for that area. That wood structure adds a nice focal point when walking towards it from that direction. I was very impressed with how many trees the park kept, which is especially noticeable from the Eiffel Tower. Rather than clear cutting everything around the ride, the park kept as much foliage as possible that wouldn't interfere with the layout, which I really appreciate. In addition, I give high admiration for the creativity incorporating the ride not only into the woods, but also around the train and White Water Canyon. Theming From the moment you come across the entrance plaza, the theming becomes evident and looks really nice in that area of the park. While the two separate panels of the ride sign and the vines that go right down the middle that block some of the letters still really bother me, once you look past that detail everything else is really well done. In the queue itself, I appreciate how it starts as a landscaped meandering path instead of additional back-and-forth queue blocks. From the use of security footage, misc signs themed to the lumber mill, and the shed structures, it's a really nice experience actually waiting in line. I feel like the side of the station and shed facing the queue could have been utilized to add additional signs/theming elements but this is just my personal opinion. As a whole I really love how much the park has stepped up its game in terms of theming and attention to detail. One of my favorite surprise theming elements was the queue music. I wish they didn't have the FunTVs playing over it at the same time (but thankfully the volume was low), but the creepy/Haunt-esque soundtrack playing in the queue really helped set the tone. I hope to see similar details like this in future Cedar Fair installations. Between this and the conversion of International Street back to orchestral music, I was very impressed. Another one of my personal favorite theming elements was the detail on the ride trains. The way the truck was incorporated into the front of the trains was brilliant, and I love the weathered look given to them. It definitely completely the feel and look the park was going for. Overall I just really enjoy the lumber mill theme and think the park pulled it off well. In terms of the storyline, I think the general park-goer won't really pick up on exactly what it is. The audio (both when you first enter the line, when you go up the stairs into the station, and up the lift can all be difficult to hear, especially if you're in a group of people/near people who are talking loudly. However if you can hear it and understand the premise, it's very clever. I especially enjoy the sound effect as you pull out of the station and how the lift hill slows when you're warned not to go in the shed before picking up speed with a screeching noise at the top. Ride Experience To start, the Millennium Flyer trains are very comfortable. Like I mentioned before, the lift audio recordings help add to the storyline and get you excited for the ride. The final audio and slow lift at the top really add a nice touch before flying down the first drop. The laterals at the bottom really caught me off guard--I was not expecting to slam into the side of my seat as hard as I did, especially when sitting in the back. The ride truly never lets up from when it drops to when it comes back into the brake run. You are constantly out of your seat and flying to the side. It has the perfect mix of airtime and laterals, and per usual with GCI, you get some crazy and unique forces in places where you least expect them. My favorite part of the ride is the little twister section leading up to the tunnel. You really fly all around and it's actually pretty out-of-control and intense. I rode in the very front, very back, and twice towards the back. While many reviews I've seen rave about the front row being the best, I have to disagree. I was personally blown away by the back and thought it felt more like a mini Maverick than a family woodie. I'd highly recommend riding in the back at night...that really is an incredible experience and left me breathless. The shed, as I assume most people have heard by now, is nothing super crazy or but adds a nice touch to what could have been a long, boring end of the ride. I'd much rather have what it is than nothing at all. While I do agree it was overhyped, or that the quality could have been increased to match up to the hype, it's a fun little ending that's better than Adventure Express' (which someone behind me one time compared it to). However, on my very first ride the shed didn't work properly (the lights came on and what was supposed to happen didn't happen--to put it in a way that doesn't give away spoilers). I had already heard what was in the shed so at least I knew that it was a faulty experience but still disappointing for my first ride. However it seemed to be working fine after that and I got 2 of the 3 experiences. Overall Kings Island has a true winner on their hands. Not only does it provide a great family coaster that younger thrill seekers can ride, but I personally rank it high overall out of my favorites. Each time I rode it, I loved it more and more. I definitely prefer the back to the front, and night rides are significantly better even. The ride does seem to go way faster than 53mph and is filled with unique elements and forces that you can't experience on any other KI coaster (or many coasters at other parks even). Already I'm looking forward to my next visit to ride it some more. Kudos to Kings Island and Cedar Fair for an excellent addition!

(Beware Shed Spoilers ahead) So far this season iv'e only been on Preview Day, but iv'e been taking some not of other peoples visits and experiences, and what i'm trying to do is piece together the whole story behind the ride. I recall Don mentioning that you will need to ride it multiple times to understand the shed, but the queue also has lots of story elements. Some of this may need clarification as its been a bit since i was there, and it was loud and hectic on preview day. In the end, im looking to try to solve the full mystery of the Miami River Lumber Co. The Queue -Entering the ride you hear that there has been an evacuation of the Miami River Lumber Co. -The Crashed truck makes me assume the evacuation was sudden and urgent -Security footage of over 100 cameras of the area are providing "live feed" (Only a few are actually shown but the camera number goes past 100) -Theres 2 people exploring the woods on one feed, they have an exchange about (?) seeing something in the woods, and that they should keep going (I couldn't hear their full conversation) -Continuing along the queue, in Wood Shed 2, the backpack and walkie talking of one of the people in the previous security footage is pinned in the top corner and will speak occasionally about the shed providing some sort of warning (?) (Even standing right next to the backpack and speaker i could not understand the audio, although i think i heard the voice saying you have to get in the shed) -Before entering the station there is one more security feed, this time of possibly a security guard with a flashlight becoming frightened of something off screen in the woods and running away (I don't think there is dialogue in this clip) The Ride and Shed -The ride itself doesn't provide many story elements itself that i noticed (But i also rode at night in the dark) However there is Audio on the lift hill of which mentions that you should Take the truck and go back home to your video games, and to not go in the shed. -The pre shed break run provides a final warning to not go in the shed and that it is a restricted area, before mysteriously becoming jumbled and eerily telling you to go in while slowly pulling the truck inside. -Inside the show you are treated to wonderful theming of an abandoned lumber mill with the vines from the preview video taking over before the final break run -Here you will encounter 1 of three shows featuring 3 different creatures accompanied to a variety of songs (Gary Newman - Cars / Hall and Oats - Maneater / Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart) All of which seem to have a cool old school scary movie vibe having to do with locking yourself in your car, and that there may be a monster in hiding -Once the music cuts, a black light will flash revealing hidden messages on the walls (Its the shed?) And the show will finish. Ive only had the bats which will fly at you and a giant monster bat will land just as you escape back to the station (I had a hard time seeing other shed elements and the show as i was assigned a back row seat) And thats all i have on it so far that i have picked up. Ive heard speculation in other threads that there isn't a real "Monster" to the ride, but it is the shed itself that is haunted or the "Monster". Something i thought is that maybe the shed is the source of all the paranormal creatures around the park, The Bat (The Bat new and old), The giant Snake (Diamondback), and the tree (The Vines that tried to take over). Maybe the Lumber Company was a cover up for a Monster Research Facility, and they escaped from the Shed where they were being kept and now run ramped throughout the park. This would also add to the 2 explores in the queue cameras sneaking into the area to see if rumors of a monster lab were true and the security being frightened off by something mysterious off camera escaping Id love to hear what you guys have pieced together, and if you have heard any of the dialogue more clearly!

If you have to ask, you can't afford it.

I sent an email regarding to this issue to both CP and KI. KI responded last night. "Thank you for contacting Kings Island. If you purchase a Bring-A-Friend ticket, the person using it will be able to participate in Early Ride Time as long as they are accompanied by the valid 2017 gold/platinum season passholder." So that settles that for KI. As others have pointed out each park possibly has their own policy, so just don't assume this it the same at all CF parks. Best to call or better yet fire off a quick email a few days before you plan attending, if they don't state their policy on the website. Will update when CP responds.

I imagine that early queue will look even better once those trees grow in.

Congratulations on getting a job on your favorite roller coaster at Kings Island! Sounds like you had an exciting adventure as well! Thanks for the awesome trip report (as you always do with your trip reports). I hope that this season is good as any other! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

When I was there last night, they flew over the wires into the fountain. That's fine as long as they don't sit on the edge and block the laser beam. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

They can still get in the fountain. This was this evening.

We were selling Scout Camp Cards in front of Walmart in STL a few years ago and these geese decided to make their nest in the planter. They would get all bossy with cars driving by holding up traffic. I don't understand how these creatures survived the evolutionary process. The SUV is going to survive every time.

Next time Kings Island is open, I'll be there at 9:30am! Riding Dback for the ERT first, since I rode MT 10 times on Media Day. But defiantly headed to The Beast once it hits 10am! Super excited

I find reactions to Vekoma's to be a bit of an over reaction when they're given a negative light. I have had a few headbanging rides on Invertigo, but I've also had pretty smooth rides on it. I agree about the Disney Vekoma's being smooth (I've only done BTMR). Hershey's Sidewinder, a traditional boomerang, wasn't too bad, even with its original train. T3 was funky in how didn't have consistent forces, but I liked the layout. My thing about Vekoma is I wish they did more custom work. It seems most of their resume are their standard designs. While useful for newer and smaller parks, they don't really have much to offer for bigger parks. Their flyers and all their inverted boomerang models are quite unreliable on top of that.

This is TOO cool--I'm excited for you just reading this post! Congrats again on getting to work your favorite ride! Good luck this summer! Definitely looking forward to part 2!

Crack theory: The on ride photo says "World Premiere" Assuming that its not talking about this season being the rides premiere, what if Mystic Timbers is an 80s Horror Movie homage in the sense the Stunt Coaster is an action set? The 80s Music in the shed, the cliche monster in the woods and missing explorers who trespassed? The monster attacking in the shed is the post credits scene, a to be continued if you will for when you ride again upon hearing about different endings. (Although i personally like the first idea more)

I knew the park was closed today for a private event, didn't know what event though. I was on Facebook a little bit ago and start seeing pictures of my friend and his family out at KI today and was like, "What in the world?" Turns out it is a private event for Cincinnati Financial and my friend works for them. That explains it. LOL.

I'm in the Alcatraz sweatshirt! I got in a day ride and a night ride and am in love with it. I highly doubted that I could love a ride more than Beast but I think it took the spot.

It is very very likely for Winterfest.

We are loving the new paper cup drink plan this year. Especially last night when you could walk up to any drink stand without waiting. Really going to be nice on hot days this summer to grab a drink before waiting in line and not having to worry about storing a plastic cup. Great job KI!!!!

I don't normally post a whole lot, let alone a PTR, but yesterday was a pretty unique experience for me at the park for me. It was sort of a last minute trip and since the park was only open from 5-10, I figured what the heck, I'll make the hour and forty five minute drive down. So it started like any other day. I pulled into the parking lot around 4:20, just in time for ERT. At 4:30, I headed straight to Mystic Timbers. I was probably about the 15th train of the day, so not too bad. At 5:00, the rope dropped and I was on my way through Rivertown. Since I passed Backlot, I figured I would ride it since the line tends to get long. After I rode Backlot, I was going to head over to Flight of Fear but it was closed along with Firehawk. Oh well. I then proceeded to board the front seat of the Red Racer. But then I got the "ladies and gentlemen, we are experiencing a technical delay, please step off and get back in line". I then went to Adventure Express and it was down too. I then glanced at International Street and noticed the fountains were off. This is very unusual to see when the park is open. And then it dawned of me that the park was suffering from a power outage. I had never experienced a power outage at the park before. Most of the rides were down as well as most of the food places were closed. So for the next hour, I just walked the midways playing on my phone. I ran into Magenta Lizard in Coney Mall and chatted with her for a little bit when all of a sudden, we all heard a very loud pop. For a split second, I thought someone might have a gun. Turns out, a light bulb from a nearby game blew out, throwing pieces of glass everywhere. Thankfully, no one got hurt. So after that, I ended up eating at Panda Express since it was open. Around 9:00, it started raining which emptied the park out. I managed to get some night rides on Adventure Express, Racer, and Diamondback. I then ended my night sitting by the fountains on International Street watching the fireworks. What a day to remember! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

^ Good to hear that. I bought the meal plan for myself anyway last week as I should be able to use it to some degree. May still need to supplement by bringing some food as it may still be hard to hit my protein/fat requirements. As I have said it is not about the money, except I don't want to have to buy two $10 entrees and throw 3/4 of it away just for a meal. Been very strict the past few weeks with measuring portions and tracking EVERYTHING in MyFitnessPal. The barcode scanner function makes it much easier now. Starting to see the scale moving again and hopefully my blood work keeps improving.

Another note: I mentioned before, I believe, that the antipasto salad was out, in favor of one topped with bacon and tomatoes. I'm happy to say I was wrong! The reason the guide says "entree salad" rather than specifying is that there are now two different salads available on the plan at LaRosa's! The new BLT salad (called JoJo's Salad on the menu I believe) and the classic antipasto with an assortment of cured meats, mozzarella (I think? Maybe provolone), olives, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and sliced hot peppers (at least the one I just got, they've often been different depending on the day and LaRosa's location). Each comes with breadsticks (which are soooo good). They aren't doing that random slap of cheese slices on top of the breadsticks this year, and I personally think it's an improvement. It makes for more consistent baking. So, now, with these two salads, the one at Red's, and the build-your-own at Chicken Shack, there are a few nice options for a lighter meal on the dining plan for the times when one isn't as excited about a lot of fried food.

.....and this would be the perfect place to spruce up. Yes, this is to scale using Fury 325. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If there are those who know, they'd not be able to share. Those who don't know talk, those who do know..... don't.

Great entry! Thanks for sharing! Be careful to not share too much but definitely share what's appropriate

Defiantly? (my auto-correct does the same thing) So we will be seeing you at the Friday meet-up then?

A recent post here claimed some KIC members could be reals jerks to park employees, you will have to let us know what your experience is.

I'm so happy for you, that you're working at your favorite ride! Hopefully my first season as a worker, I get positioned at my favorite ride. Obviously The Beast! Diamondback would be cool to work at too

Hello everyone! I went to Kings Island yesterday (April 22nd) and as usual, here is my trip report. First up: my rating scale so you'll get my ratings for each ride. (I have decided to just give how fun I thought each ride was- I'm ditching the intensity and roughness ratings from my last TR). I'll also be going back to a 1-10 scale, which I used in my older trip reports... 10: Incredible. One of the best rides I have ever ridden anywhere. 9: Excellent. A fun ride from start to finish, well worth riding over and over. 8: Very Good. Would happily ride this again. 7: Good. Worth re-riding, but not if there is a huge wait. 6: OK. Worth a ride if the line is short, but not if it's 30 minutes or more. 5: Meh. Really only worth it if it's a walk-on. 4: Bad. Not really even worth a walk-on. 3: Very Bad. Would not ever ride again unless something changed. 2: Terrible. Why did they even consider building THIS?!?!? 1: Garbage. I have no other words for how bad this ride is. 0: Ultimate Garbage. HOW DID YOU BUILD SOMETHING THIS BAD!?!? OK, let's begin the trip report! My sister had gotten us tickets through her college, which was having a trip to the park yesterday and she could bring 1 friend. Since the date of the event also happened to be my birthday, and she knew I loved Kings Island and wanted to try Mystic Timbers, she chose me. We arrived at her school campus around 7:30AM, and by 9:00AM the buses left. We arrived at the park at around 11:00AM and my sister used her phone to check the wait times, Mystic Timbers was only 15 minutes according to the app, and since we wanted to ride that, we headed for it. As we headed down I-Street, we heard the new international music and it was awesome. We got a locker and paid $10 to have it the rest of the day (this was very useful and I would recommend it if you are gonna bring stuff you need to store, the disadvantage is you'll be running back to the same lockers a lot depending what you leave in there though). Then it was finally time for... Ride #1: Mystic Timbers Wait Time: 15 Minutes The app was about correct, and we waited 15 minutes or so for the newest ride at Kings Island. It is very well themed, and I love all the small details the park put into this ride. The Millennium Flyer trains are amazing, and the ride is buttery smooth. It's pretty intense, with lots of airtime hills (all of which give air, though it comes in different varieties depending what hill it is) and twists and turns. The trick track near the end is a awesome element and my favorite part of the ride. I liked the shed- though it is a little troll-ish, it's a nice way to end the ride since essentially it is also the final brake run. While Mystic Timbers didn't become my new favorite roller coaster (I've only been to a few parks, but I have already apparently been on some of the best in the word so such a feat would not have been easy anyway) I still liked it a whole lot and think this was a great addition to Kings Island, one I will ride over and over again in the years to come. Score: 9/10 After Mystic Timbers, we decided to go ride another of those amazing coasters I had already ridden before...since it was also wooden, and I wanted to compare with Mystic Timbers fresh on my mind... Ride #2: The Beast Wait Time: Walk-On!!! Beast was running AMAZING yesterday IMO (it had rained the night before and it was cool out which apparently really helps woodies). The trim brakes didn't seem to have nearly as much of an effect, and even if they did sap speed, it was quickly re-gained. The ride was a bit bumpy, but I'll admit for this one, I like it that way. The 2nd hill after the first drop, for only the 2nd time I have ever gotten this, had some actual airtime, although it was weak. The final helix, as usual, was utter chaos and I loved it. I was laughing like a giddy schoolgirl by the final brakes- Mystic Timbers is pretty awesome, but Beast is still my clear favorite ride in the park. Score: 10/10! If you looked at my wait time for Beast, you saw something rare. Yep, it was a walk-on. It was pretty cold, and the forecast was calling for rain (which NEVER CAME!) so at least for the first few hours, the park was dead- it picked up later though. We then exited Beast plaza and saw Diamondback was ALSO a walk-on, so we headed there next. Ride #3: Diamondback Wait Time: Walk-On!!! With no wait, we jumped right into the very back seat, climbed up the 230-foot lift hill, and dropped 215 feet with airtime the ENTIRE WAY DOWN. And it was like that on every single hill! It was awesome. You could also really tell the ride went 80mph because it was in the low 50's, so it felt crazy cold with the wind. The splashdown- usually only a event for non-riders- even made a louder than usual splash, scaring us a bit as it was a little like a explosion of water. An incredible ride on yet another incredible coaster. Rivertown has become crazily OP in terms of its roller coasters now! Score: 10/10! We then were hungry (had last eaten around 7:30AM) so we ate at Tom+Chee's, since it smelled good and was nearby. I got the Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwich and it was good, but they screwed up my sister's order by forgetting her chips. D'oh! Afterwards, we headed up and walked towards Vortex, which had been broken earlier but began testing when we were in "line" for Diamondback. By the time we reached it, it was open, and... Ride #4: Vortex Wait: 10 Minutes Vortex HAD A BIGGER LINE THAN BEAST OR Diamondback. And due to this, I actually couldn't get either 5-1 or 7-1 (my seats of choice) and had to go for 3-1. From this seat, Vortex drops from quite awesome to...pretty average. There was not much if any airtime on the 1st drop, and it was noticeably rougher. These 2 things took a lot from the ride IMO. Still decent, but I'd perfer to ride Vortex from the 2 seats I listed above if possible. Oh, and the 30th Anniversary banner they had was really cool. Also a Bat apparently tried to perch on the Corkscrews, but it flew away when it sensed the train coming- considering what ride USED to be here, and what we saw in the shed earlier, that was pretty cool. Score: 7/10 We then tried to ride Flight of Fear, but it's line for whatever reason seemed to just stand still for 10 minutes (during which point a 2nd Bat flew into the que area and went into the metal roof overhead), so we got out and headed Banshee, but we wanted to also hit The Racer and Adventure Express while heading that way. When we got near The Racer both sides were running at first, but when we got in line, Red Racer broke so we had to ride Blue. Ride #5: Blue Racer Wait: 10 Minutes (Due to capacity suddenly being cut in half when Red broke) We boarded Blue Racer and rode near the back, my sister sitting in the row ahead of me and me in the middle car. The ride was pretty fun, though a bit on the rough side. Decent airtime though nowhere near Mystic Timbers (and pathetic if compared to Diamondback). On the way back to the station, a empty Red Racer train came over the lift and "Raced" past us, so it was good to see it begin testing. And when we left the ride, Racer was racing once again, always a welcome sight. Score: 7.5/10 After Blue Racer, came Adventure Express. Ride #6: Adventure Express Wait: 5 Minutes Adventure Express was pretty fun this ride- pretty smooth by AE standards, and decent forcefulness. We got a good look at "Indiana Jones"- he apparently wears glasses, which my sister thought was new but we may have just never noticed. The music & spiel in the final tunnel seemed to be off, but the drum dudes worked, and the screech at the top also did. A fun ride on a fun mine train coaster. Score: 8/10 After "paying" Adventure Express a visit, we then headed into Action Zone and we reached Banshee. Ride #7: Banshee Wait: 5 Minutes The crowds were starting to build by this point, but Banshee's insane capacity kept its line to the stairs. We boarded the purple train (which my sister always seems to get) and climbed the 168-foot lift hill. One scream later, we dropped at 68mph- it was still cold so BRRR...- and began flipping. It was, as usual, one awesome inversion after another, ending with the awesome "slow roll" and helix. There was a noticeable vibration (though not painful at all) and slight shaking though, and I did feel a little dizzy afterwards. Still an amazing ride though. There were also 2 huge Falcons/Hawks flying in the woods over Adventure Express. Score: 9.5/10 After Banshee, we were getting a little thirsty. When we had eaten at Tom+Chee earlier, we bought a souvenir bottle, but afterwards we had put it in the locker...near Mystic Timbers. We decided to ride Bat and Delirium, then we would go get it. Ride #8: The Bat Wait: 5 Minutes After so much "Batty" stuff earlier in the day, how could we not ride the actual coaster? There was a minimal wait, then we boarded and rode The Bat. It didn't slow on the lift like it has done on nearly all my other rides on it, which was a bit odd, and you could smell what was apparently chain lube. We were in the rear of a car, and it was a bit bumpy, so I kept smacking my kness into the seat in front of me. It wasn't very painful, but it was a bit annoying. Still a very fun, though short, ride though. Score: 8/10 As we headed up back towards the main area of Action Zone to ride Delirium, I asked my sister to check to see how bad Invertigo's wait was, and she said it was broken. So we headed up, planning on riding Delirium and getting back to our locker. Ride #9: Delirium Wait: 5 Minutes Delirium only had to run once, and then we got on. It was the usual high-speed spinny-swingy action, though it was also quite cold due to the 76mph speed. A fun ride on my favorite flat ride at Kings Island. Score: 9/10 As we exited Delirium, I spotted Invertigo running, so it had been fixed since the app updated. We checked the line and there was none, so we got a quick ride on Invertigo in. Ride #10: Invertigo Wait: 5 Minutes During our short wait, as we watched the train before us run, I spotted something black-ish fly out and hit the rocks with a THUNK. It was someone's expensive-looking phone, and I saw the ride op get it and hand it back to them with a DESTROYED screen. Poor dude- but that's why YOU DO NOT take loose articles on roller coasters. Thankfully, it didn't hit anyone. As for our ride on Invertigo? It was OK. Nice forces and stuff, but a HUGE amount of head banging. I tried my best to avoid it, but nothing seemed to work. If you asked what roller coaster at Kings Island I enjoyed the least (excluding kiddie coasters)- Invertigo is the one I'd pick. Score: 6/10 After Invertigo, we had ridden most of the major rides at Kings Island we wanted to (due to the cold and stuff, we decided not to do Drop Tower and WindSeeker) besides BLSC and the X-Base rides. We then headed to Rivertown (cutting through the Festhaus and catching some of the 90's show...good stuff...also saw Don Helbig again there but he looked busy so we didn't bug him), got our cup, and drank some soda. My sister played the "Spin the Wheel for a Fast Pass for a ride" game, and we got...Vortex. We decided to save it for later. Then it was time to relax a bit, and you know what ride is good for that? Ride #11: Kings Island & Miami Valley Railroad Wait: 5 Minutes (for Train to Show Up) With Mystic Timbers now built and open, this ride's 1st half gives you more than just trees and White Water Canyon to look at. You great great views of the entire new GCI woodie, as well as Diamondback. The Bear gimmick the train ops did was kinda funny, and there were gophers near the turnaround point and geese living in the old western town, their nest on the roof! It was a fun, relaxing way to waste a few minutes. Score: 7/10 After the train ride, we had some time to kill before a 5PM check-in (yes, all that and some of the below were from 11AM to 4PM...it was not very crowded) so we headed for Backlot Stunt Coaster, which had a short-ish wait and had re-opened. Ride #12: Backlot Stunt Coaster Wait: 10 Minutes Backlot Stunt Coaster, I feel, is one of Kings Island's more underrated rides. This ride gets hated on a LOT since it replaced the Antique Cars & Flying Eagles, and yeah a lot of the theming from its Italian Job days is gone. But the ride has a good launch, forceful helix, some decent airtime and forces, cool fire effects, and a great tunnel finale. It's capacity is also better than you'd think as while it has small trains they dispatch quickly. I really like this little coaster. Score: 8/10 After BLSC, we went to I-Street and did some shopping- we got fudge, the Mystic Timbers "What's in the fudge"? flavor. We also did some shopping but eventually went to Coney Confections since they have everything for $10 or less, found some nice shirts and $1 fridge magnets. Since we were in the area and had time to kill, we did a few rides... Ride #13: Red Racer Wait: 5 Minutes Red Racer was rougher than Blue, but ironically I found it the more fun of the 2 sides since it also had a bit more airtime. Some of the airtime also felt weird, like it would pause or bump in the middle of it then resume instantly. We started out ahead of Blue Racer by a car or two, but by the brake run, Blue had caught up (I think it was due to the smoother track) and won. D'OH!!! Score: 8/10 We got in line for Monster, but it had become 5PM, so we had to ditch and go check-in with the group at the Eiffel Tower. We did so, and we hungry again, so we headed to Reds Hall of Fame Grille...and then left because it was super slow, so we went for Skyline Chili on I-Street instead. The service here was pretty fast, and the food was also pretty good and filled us up nicely. After that we tried to wait for Flight of Fear again, it didn't move (again) and then a bunch of people began leaving saying it broke down. We decided to abandon X-Base for the day after this, since FOF was clearly not running well and Firehawk always has a slow, agonizing wait. We wandered around for a bit, headed back to Rivertown for some of our stuff, then decided to spin the wheel of Fast Lane again...I did it this time, and won...DODGEM. Well, since we had 2 tickets now and they were in Coney Mall, we headed there to spend them. (They saved us little- the waits for Vortex and Dodgem were both very short) Ride #14: Vortex #2 Wait: Used Prize Ticket This time, we rode from my usual seat, 5-1. And boy, was it better than it was earlier. The ride went from little air to lots of it on the first drop, and the ride was noticeably smoother than before. Seat selection sure makes a difference on Vortex. Score: 9/10 After Vortex, we cashed in our other ticket for the Dodgems. Ride #15: Dodgem Wait: Used Prize Ticket Well, at least the ticket had me get on a ride I had never ridden before. Dodgem was pretty fun, but sadly the ride is a bit short- it stopped just as I was really starting to like it. Score: 6/10 (too short) After riding Dodgem, we were waiting for 8:00PM so we could get in line for Beast (app was saying 45 minute wait and we were expecting it to be accurate and we had to be ready to leave around 9PM and wanted to squeeze a night ride in). We decided to let the Wheel of Fast Lane decide a ride for us, my sister spun it....Backlot Stunt Coaster. Hey, not too bad, it's a fun ride and it actually had a line so we did get something here. Ride #16: Backlot Stunt Coaster #2 Wait: Used Prize Ticket See earlier ride review- same applies here. After re-riding BLSC, we boarded the train for a 2nd ride. Ride #17: Kings Island & Miami Valley Railroad Wait: 5 Minutes (for Train 2 show up again) Again, see the prior review, as this was mostly the same save it was now sunset. And then it was around 8:15PM, so we got in line for Beast at last, expecting a 45-minute wait which would get us a night ride...but... Ride #18: The Beast #2 Wait: 15 Minutes (App was 30 minutes off!) We got a sunset ride instead. Regardless of this, Beast was still crazy fun, and felt even faster than it had earlier as it was more broken-in by this point. I got weak airtime once again too. Also the tunnels were pitch black by this point as well. My sister tried to get a cool on-ride photo, but failed. Score: 10/10! It was now around 8:30, and with nothing better to do, we decided to try for the on-ride photo again, so... Ride #19: The Beast #3 Wait: 15 Minutes Now it was closer to night, and the sky was dark-ish but not quite, so I'd call this a Quasi-Night ride. It was just as fun as before, and in the middle dark tunnel, I looked to the right and shockingly was able to see the trees through the tunnel's cracks somehow (probably due to the speed, and my brain putting the images from the cracks together). The final helix was chaos for a 3rd time. Riding Beast once is great, but twice in a row is even better. My sister failed at her photo yet again though. Score: 10/10! In an ironic twist, as we left Beast for the 3rd time, we STILL had some time to kill for 1 more small-ish ride. The ride we picked was... Ride #20: Shake, Rattle, and Roll Wait: 5 Minutes Shake, Rattle, and Roll looks amazing with its new paint job and lighting package. The ride is also pretty fun, and disorienting with its spinning wackiness. A fun way to end the night. Score: 8/10 After SR&R, we headed out down I-Street which was beautiful and exited the park, and boarded the buses to go home. It was an awesome day- 20 rides in 1 day is very good IMO. It was also probably the most fun I have had on my birthday in years. I hope you enjoyed this trip report. In finale, here are my pro's and con's: Pro's: +Nearly all rides were running excellent +Mystic Timbers is a great new wooden roller coaster with awesome theming +Ride crews were doing a great job with sending out trains so little or no waits were common +Though the crowds were also small most of the day +Food was pretty good, though not the greatest +Coney Confections has some great stuff for cheap (compared to other shops in the park IMO) +Lots of wildlife was out and about Con's: -Tom+Chee's forgot my sister's chips -It was brutally cold most of the day -Flight of Fear apparently didn't want us to ride it today Anyhow, thank you for reading this. In finale, here is a picture my sister took for you...have a nice day! (Comments and Questions Welcome)

I'm on the fence. The Disney Vekomas I've ridden run as smooth as glass. The non-Disney Vekomas I've ridden (except for most of their flying and kiddie coasters) run as smooth as broken glass. I'm curious to see what the next 10 years bring for them. Their recent designs with the new track design (from around 2010 and later) have been getting good reviews from enthusiasts, and they seem to be doing well for themselves in Asia and eastern Europe. I wonder if they'll be able to reinvent themselves in the industry.

^ That may or may not have been me, as me and my sister were at the park yesterday and rode Mystic Timbers for the first time. I don't have as much roller coaster experience as some others here do (I have been to Kings Island, Holiday World, and Indiana Beach many years ago) and as such it was my first GCI, but I can compare it to the other non-GCI wooden coasters I have ridden (which were made by Kings Island themselves, PTC, CCI, and Gravity Group). This is the best themed coaster I have seen at any of the 3 parks I have been to so far, edging out Flight of Fear for that title. I loved all the little details packed onto the station, que, and even the trains themselves. Millennium Flyer trains are also as amazing as I expected- the PTC trains on every other wooden coaster I have ridden so far are blown away by them. They are so comfy! Also in part thanks to them, the ride is crazy smooth- I thought Banshee was rougher yesterday, if that puts that into perspective! The ride itself was non-stop action from start to finish, with several nice pops of air and many sudden directional changes. The trick track at the end was my favorite element of them all. Then came...DA SHED. (DA DA DUM) I liked it, in a "OMG SO CHEESY" way- it wasn't super crazy or anything, but I did like all the props in the shed, and the visuals on the screens were nice. The music was funny IMO. Hence why I compared it to AE, which has a similar cheesy ending. I only got to ride once (line looked too long when we came back but apparently it was only 30 minutes so I'll have to consider that next time) but I really enjoyed Mystic Timbers. However, I can't say it's my favorite wooden coaster- I rode Beast a few times yesterday, and it's still the clear #1 in my book, and I'd also say I still like Legend & Voyage @ Holiday World better as well (Mystic Timbers does slightly edge out Raven though). Granted the 3 woodies I would take over MT are all also considered world-class by many, so I am probably already spoiled rotten when it comes to woodies. I am looking forward to riding Mystic Timbers again whenever I return to Kings Island, hopefully I can get the other 2 shed versions (I was semi-spoiled a bit on the shed before I rode, sadly).

The bridge will be closed from 5am-11am this morning. Implosion at 7:15. Public asked to stay away. http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/local/things-know-about-implosion-ohio-highest-bridge/dDiQ82EdkcJW4qgZzwJ4FL/

Yeah, any footings they need for Winterfest would require, I think, 28 days to cure before they can bear loads. Since they would have to bring heavy equipment out into the park to pour them, they'd either have to pour them in the mornings before the park opens in July, or do it on a day when the park is closed. And the former isn't a good idea since guests might mess with the wet concrete before it sets. So they have to pour them before the season begins in order for them to be cured in time for construction to begin in the fall.

Were the lights on in the fountain when you walked by? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Have fun! If you are there until close, ride it again at night!!!! We did last night and I still haven't fully processed it yet...

Without breaking the 11th commandment of course.

So you're saying that RMC is a possibility?

I think they need to add a new facade and plaza that looks futuristic or like a hanger and it will have restaurants, bathrooms, etc and the perfect coaster would be an Intamin Blitz with a futuristic theme

I really like what they've done to Rivertown and Action Zone so far, so I think X-Base is the next location that should get revitalized. I feel like it being isolated from the rest of park and being "hidden" behind The Racer gives the section an element of mystery. The Flight of Fear building looks natural and doesn't stick out like a sore thumb, unlike another KI metal box located in Rivertown, and Firehawk's placement is equally natural. Even if they can't necessarily tear out the neighboring maintenance buildings, sacrificing a little space for maybe a flat would do just fine. I feel like there's so much potential for that section so I hope the park does something to it in the coming years.

When a few of us were waiting to ride Vortex, a woman in front of us said this was the first ever roller coaster for two young boys she was with. We all looked at each other dumbfounded and then asked if she thought that was a good idea. I'm told that one of them actually passed out on the coaster, and we all felt bad imagining him ragdolling through the ride. That's a perfect example of how not to make a new coaster enthusiast I guess. On the other hand, we also saw a young woman get off Vortex, go puke in the bushes, then happily ask her friends if they wanted to go ride WindSeeker

OMG as I'm reading these a kid in my class (I go to Mason) said MT is literally the same layout of SOB but smaller I actually want to go deaf

Well I just wanted to start off by saying preview night was insanely busy! I've never seen the parking lot so full in my life! When I saw the line on Friday night, it was 3-4 hour wait. I said no way and waited until opening day the next day. The next day first thing, me and my sister jumped in line right away. We waited 2 hours which was well worth the wait. Everyone will laugh when I say this, but wouldn't it have been funny if they had the props in the haunt operational while waiting for Mystic Timbers? It would be like Halloween in April.....lol. Anyway, the line moved real fast at first then as we arrived to the main queue, it was moving at a turtle pace. Fast forward to the theming before the ride; I love the theme that interacts with the ride itself. The sheltered queues actually made me think it was the shed part 1 in a funny way. As we we're on the stairwell, I felt like I had new picture opportunities of Race for your life Charlie Brown. Getting into the station was really set-up well. I liked how it was designed to only allow a certain amount of people in the station at a time so you don't clutter in there like sheep. Cedar Point has this problem with Raptor and Millennium Force. Anyway, moving onto the ride experience. Going up the hill and smelling new chain grease and wood was something that made me feel good about riding right away. As we went down the hill, I actually bit my lip because the acceleration of Mystic Timbers took me by surprise. I would say that's how the whole ride went was fast! I will say that Mystic Timbers lives up to it's hype with the airtime hills and speed. In my opinion, it felt like Voyage, but went through the course similar to Maverick. I loved the speed of this ride the most! The shed, I'm not sure If I'm allowed to give away hints about it now or not so I won't. I will say the shed was really cool how it interacts with the whole train. The music they played in there was in my head the rest of the day. I forget the artists name, but the song was called total eclipse of the heart. Overall, I give Mystic Timbers an A+! Great Job Kings Island, the pr team, and the construction crew who worked countless hours day after day getting this ride ready in time for opening weekend.

I rode Boo Blasters tonight, and they've put some work into it on the offseason. It's only the second time I've seen the screen with the face in the first part of the ride (the cemetery) working. The display on the TV in the cold storage area toward the end was also working which I had never seen or realized should be there. Nearly all of the targets were functional (a large change from the end of last season), and the animated pieces worked smoothly. The only thing I noticed was non-functional was the photographer tourist being chased in circles, it didn't move.

Thanks! There's plenty more to come... so much so it's overwhelming! :-) I'm enjoying sharing it!

I wish we got some string lights overhead on the midway to give it a more fair feel.

Agreed. Love to see it get some attention next. Like to see some LEDs added to Monster and maybe some chaser lights or at least fresh paint on Racer to really spruce up the area and then the addition of a couple new flats as well. I'd say, aside from X-Base, it's due as all of the other areas have received some changes and enhancements lately with AZ getting a facelift with the addition of Banshee and fresh pain for most of the rides there, and PS has had a couple additions and changes, and now Rivertown has been getting attention last year adn this year with the addition of MT.