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So I don’t post on here anywhere as much as I used to, but when I was much more active on KIC, one of my favorite things to do was create Photo Trip Reports. I loved authoring travelogues on places ranging from Cedar Point to Camden Park to the occasional visit to my home park of Kings Island. Over the past ten years though, the allure of visiting parks somewhat faded (although, if you follow my site by chance, I still visited plenty of abandoned ones). That all changed recently when I went to Kentucky Kingdom. So I’ve got a photo trip report in two parts. Part 1: Before/After In 2011, I had the opportunity to tour the park when it was closed/abandoned. Multiple ownership groups grappled for control, but now the park is very much alive. Check out side by side, interactive images showing what’s changed here. Part 2: A review I also took some time to just enjoy the park, ride the coasters, and have a look around. Overall, I think KK is pretty good, but what’s the deal with the constant one train operation? Overall, I'm pretty surprised at just how good this park ended up being. I had my doubts, but it won me over. Read more here. Thanks for checking it out! I have to say, it felt good to write a PTR again!

Thanks @jtro223! I have a second part to that one which deals with a review of the park itself: http://queencitydiscovery.blogspot.com/2017/09/kentucky-kingdon-six-years-later-part-2.html

I actually just bought Planet Coaster the other evening. It's definitely got a refreshing artsy-ness to it. I'm still trying to get the hang of it, but it feels a lot more accessible to casual users than NoLimits. I thought the partnership with Cedar Fair was very interesting... I wonder if this will become the new industry "thing" to do. I feel like Planet Coaster doesn't have enough of a following for this to become a regular occurrence--but then again, I wouldn't have thought it had enough of a following for this sort of partnership to ever happen.

I agree with @King Ding Dong, for Kings Island. $500 is too cheap, and hopefully the number sold is fairly limited to compensate. I've heard 500 available but don't know how true it is.

Actually I don't think $500 for Kings Island Season Long Fast Lane+ is that bad. They cannot make it too cheap, otherwise too many people will buy it, which will jam up the regular lines and create waits for even Fast Lane, which leads to angry customers and that means in the long run Cedar Fair loses money. Not to mention I have seen Fast Lane+ go for $80+ for even a single day, and someone who has a season pass and this will probably use it a lot on those super-busy weekends like the 4th of July and Halloween Haunt. Also a big reason why Kings Island's is more expensive than Carowinds or Kings Dominion's would be Kings Island gets bigger crowds- Kings Island draws 3 to 3.5 million guests in every year, and for comparison Kings Dominion is usually in the 1.5 to 2 million range if I recall correctly. I don't remember Carowinds specifically but I think they get just a bit more than KD. Cedar Point's Fast Lane Plus+ Season Pass is also going to be crazy expensive, possibly even more than the Kings Island one. Canada's Wonderland, another huge drawing Cedar Fair park, also charges $500 for this (though since that's Canadian it's more like $350 US) and Knott's Berry Farm in California will also probably be very expensive.

My wife and I actually visited the park earlier in June this year. We even ventured into the water park for a few hours. The water park has a weird set up, with new slides on the site that used to be home to Chang. It is definitely a fun little park (although it isn`t exactly little). Storm Chaser and Lightning Run are really fun, smooth rides. Lightning Run doesn`t seem that tall or big, but it packs a big punch. Definitely worth the trip. And Storm Chaser is breath taking as well. Nice to see you posting again Ronny. I too have not posted here as much as I used to. Been busy with my son. My Kings Island trips have become more sparse, but still manage to visit about ten times so far this year. I still am working at Coney, winding down in my 16th season working there. Hard to believe I have been there that long.

Good piece by Queen City Discovery: http://queencitydiscovery.blogspot.com/2017/09/kentucky-kingdom-six-years-later-part-1.html

I've seen the geico blimp fly over the park before.

Not the Goodyear blimp, but I saw these 2 hot air balloons fly over the park last Saturday.

^Who made you Terpy by dusting off ancient threads all of a sudden?

Yes you can get them online http://www.cincyglbt.com/pride-night And put the ticket on your phone, or eticket or buy them at the gate Friday night! Great time to be had by all!

At least $2k for CP. There are already a ton of Gold VIP Tours full of teens up there.

All season Fast Lane is an awful idea to me, but it can be done correctly if you don't sell too many, I'm thinking about 500 or so.

This will not likely be a popular position but I think $500 for all season is WAY to cheap. $1000 minimum IMO.

Wow Ronny! Great article! A great read

Agreed... how about a hybrid Dark Kastle shoot-em-up ride.... all things are on the table! Lol

Welcome to KIC! Best of luck in your audition, and hope you have fun working Haunt. For future reference, we're a forum primarily for fans to discuss the park. Some employees hang out here and are happy to share their thoughts, but questions about employment are usually best directed at the park. I'm locking this thread since it has been answered. Just adding, park police & security control the entrance from One Team Way. Only current employees and others directed to enter that way should go there.

Never fear! A number of KICers including yours truly are associates who are well acquainted with the route to and from Kings Island. The associate lot is reached via One Team Way, which is accessed from Western Row Rd which can be accessed from Kings Island Drive. From where will you come from? The route to these roads will depend on your starting point. If this information is all you need to know, then no need to go any deeper. Otherwise we will be happy to help you.

The last blimp I recall was the direct tv blimp which was over the beach volleyball tournament last summer. I don't tink the tennis tournament has a blimp (at least I never saw one this year) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Guest Experience 101 has foundations at the gate as you: pass through the gate see the fountains see the Eiffel Tower Coasters in the background "International" buildings (with non-international fare within...) Sam Smith, Justin Bieber, etc... on the music roll. Which doesn't belong? Goes right up there with: Chinese (fast) food in the German Themed Festhaus Hank's Mexican in Oktoberfest I like Diamondback- but if it's in "Rivertown" how hard would it have been to have a name reflecting it? Again with Mystic Timbers... great coaster, great theming, if not a tone tone deaf for the "themed area" Soccer Game stand (because nothing screams a 18th/19th century Rivertown like Soccer.

Pop music=noise, noise, noise. I go to Kings Island to relax and enjoy some escapism if you will. Now having to tense up and try to block out the pop noise puts me in the wrong state of mind from the moment I get out of my car in the parking lot. Having no escape from the noise just wears me down and makes that wrong state of mind even worse.

I'm not being that guy but there's a whole thread dedicated to just Vortex

Years later.... and .... we have older more bland characters.... my kid likes snoopy just fine but once we leave the park he couldn't care less. Meanwhile.... we watch Scooby Doo cartoons every weekend.... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I hope they are able to play it for when the park is operating normally and then just switch it to whatever plays for Haunt when 6 p.m. rolls around...(except for Sunday which is just normal operation all day, no switching required) ...if not, then I am glad I took extra time to take in the wonderful music while enjoying some Cinnabon back on August 13. I already miss it.

I hope it is back. I understand why it wouldn't for Haunt. I still think they could still play it on Sundays.

@Mrs. No Chickens was told on Saturday evening by an associate in guest services that the music was turned off for Haunt and that it'd be back for next season.....not too long after I voiced my concern at Guest Services (with no such information). Totally blowing smoke up Mrs. No Chicken's back....yes please voice your concern in writing whether it be the contact us form on the website or an actual letter.

Heard from a KI security guard that Dinosaurs Alive is definitely not coming back next year. He said "he is positive". I then asked a KI employee working Dinosaurs Alive, and she said she's heard it both ways. So, who knows if DA will be there in 2018 or not. Based on both conversations, I'm going with the security guard.

I'm going to miss the water curtains. That effect was my favorite part of the show. I'm sure it was a pain to work with and maintain though.

I highly doubt it - think of all the people that already purchased a pass for a kiddo that would fall in the Pre-K pass age and KI would need to refund that money if they issued the Pre-K pass now - and we know they don't want to set a precedent of refunding passes. Plus KI is such a season pass heavy park now, they don't really need to entice any more people to buy a pass because that is essentially what the Pre-K pass is doing - enticing families at those other parks with the offer of hey mom and dad buy a pass and your kid under 5 gets in free.

That's kind of the feeling I have to. I know Kings Island wins the the Golden Ticket for best kids area, but CP has a lot more to do between Camp Snoopy, Planet Snoopy, & Kiddie Kingdom. So I'm holding out hope, lol. If they don't do it I'll buy her a KI gold pass because I've already registered her for the Pre-K pass at CP & KD. My wife, son, & I all have Platinum passes. But since the 2 parks I'll attend besides KI next year have the Pre-K pass, I'm just gonna get her a Gold Pass for KI if they don't end up doing it. Fingers crossed, lol

A new restaurant would be a great fit since its a short walk from the Festhaus, which is always too crowded IMO. I just hope its more like the Island Smokehouse as opposed to the Reds Hall of Fame Bar and Grille.

@shark6495 you have really jumped the shark this time. Do you have any idea how much it costs to pave a parking lot that size? A home driveway is a couple of grand. (Besides the potholes act as cheap speed bumps for all speed demons out to kill our kids) My volunteer hours go to a bit more worthy causes than multi billion dollar partnerships. (Scouts, Special Olympics, conservation projects, etc.)

If the park doesn't do it I wonder if we could get a group of volunteers to do the following for the park.... Line and repave the parking lot Run a tram system for park goers More roving entertainment Fix the issue with the FP and reg guest loading Excuse me that I may not be as excited as some about another restaurant (instead of improving what's there) or another ride when there are glaring (imo) issues already that should be addressed first Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Add a 4d free fly coaster and name it Bavarian Beetle!

I like Vortex enough, but if KI was going to take it down and replace it with something better then I wouldn't mind too much. It would be sad to see it go though. Hopefully Firehawk goes first but I doubt it since it's fairly new and generates a lot of locker income. Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

At 6' 2" Vortex is no picnic. Having to ride a certain way or in a certain row/seat to enjoy a coaster is just not right.

I've never hated Vortex. It holds a (somewhat) special place in my heart. It wasn't my first inverting coaster, but it's what got me to love going upside-down to begin with. I remember when I was 9, my friend kept dragging me to go on it but I wouldn't, but I finally gave in and did it. It wasn't anything to write home about. However, two years later, a different friend this time convinced me to give it another go and I went for it, and fell in love. I think I rode almost every single coaster with inversions in the park that day. Good thing this happened then, because just two months later I took my first trip to CP. I am very glad I didn't go to CP for not-inverting roller coasters only, that would've really sucked. My only tip for riding Vortex is to keep your head against the right side of the OTSR during the final helix. There's a spot in the helix where your head shakes back and forth, and I know your head gets thrown to the left first. I also know that being 5'6"-5-10" will most likely kill your ears. Luckily I was taller than that by the time I was 12 and started riding Vortex regularly.

I personally find it too rough to enjoy anymore, but I wouldn't want to see it go unless there was no other option. My nephew rode it for the first time last year and now it's his favorite, so my opinion is that of a fragile old man.

For Q#1, I answered with the second option. In my mind, Vortex is one of those great Kings Island classic coasters (see also Bat, Flight of Fear, Beast Adventure Express and Blue Racer) and it's pretty iconic to the park. However, my experiences have varied. I've had awesome rides (particularly those in the back or those summer night rides through the fog) as well as some rough ones that make me dizzy (and see stars in the double loops). All in all, I ride it every once in a while and it's a good ride. I think I'd miss it if (when?) it left (leaves) as I (or anyone) might take Vortex for granted and then it's gone one day. And I must confess, another KI Arrow great has stolen my heart even more (sorry @homestar92, to me, Vortex is not bae! ). For Q#2, I answered with the second option as well due to the varied ride experiences detailed above.

Flight of Fear is 9 years younger. Vortex opened in 1987 and will be 30 this year. Flight of Fear opened in 1996 and will be 21 years old this year. Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

I hope The Vortex never goes. Sometimes old is good! There is just something about sitting down on an old arrow looper. Long live The Vortex! On a side note its hard to believe that Flight of Fear is only 6 years younger than The Vortex.

Would restraints like these work on a coaster like Vortex? https://mack-rides.com/products/rollercoaster/launch-coaster/

Id like it to stay. I agree it has the best presentation with it's flying loops and flying corkscrews in front of a canvas of the lift hill. The near-by batwing that made me thinlk it went underground when I was a little kid. I also agree the 5-1 suggestion isnt special. 7th car is where it's at. Makes the first drop 8x better.. and you dont bang around as much.. though it still helps to know the ride's transitions. I wish it to stay.. i just know if and when it gets replaced, I want something just as thrilling, just as great of a drop, just as pretty to loom at asthetically wise with the shapes and placements of its elements... basically be just as great as Vortex, but be smoother and hopefully have a longer life because of it.

Visually, I think this ride has the best presentation of all of them in the park. The open placement, all of the loops and layout, even the color scheme makes it look great. It is definitely a surprise ride as well. Watching it run and then riding it, you are taken by surprise as you think you know what is going to happen. That being said, I ride it a couple of times a year in the hopes that it gets smoother. Does it knock me around, yes. Do I know more when this is going to happen to lessen it, yes. Have a found the sweet spot on the ride yet, no. Will I stop riding it, no. My avatar picture is my family on The Vortex. It was one of the first times I took my son on a coaster and he has this "Bring it look", so it is always special to me in that regards. Unless something terrible happens to it, I would like to think that if they get rid of it, something else will be right behind it to fill in the spot.

Is there a way to keep steel coasters alive? I know RMC has started to do some track work on steel coasters if I'm not mistaken.

I really like Vortex (I'd rank it as my #5 favorite at the park) and usually ride it at least once per trip- it's also my go-to ride for when the park is crowded since it is never more than a 25 minute wait even on busy days. If it were up to me 100%, Vortex would be around for years and years to come. Alas, I alone do not decide the fate of a roller coaster, and Vortex is slowly losing popularity with more and more claims of insane roughness. If the coaster ends up needing a major, expensive repair (IE metal fatigue starts to kick in or something and a entire section of track needs replaced) I don't know if the ride is still popular enough to justify it. The park may also decide that area in the back of Coney Mall could be a great spot for a future attraction which would be a bigger draw than Vortex, and thus end Vortex's run. Though I will also add this: Vortex has had a incredible run already, thrilling millions of guests over the past 30 years. Should Kings Island replace Vortex, the new ride will have very big shoes to fill. I'd also make a serious effort to be there on Vortex's last day, to try and get some final rides in (and would probably buy a on-ride photo from my final ride).

I am not a big Vortex fan. I will usually only ride it once a season. The only ride I avoided more than Vortex is Invertigo. That being said I see no reason to remove it as long as it has adequate ridership.

I like Vortex but I have not been on it since 2014 and the last time I rode it, it was the most painful ride I have ever taken on any roller coaster. I love the look of it and it is fun but gives you a beating. I just wish there was a way to make it smoother.