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Here's a pic from KIEntertainment on Instagram, showing Kings Island WinterFest 2017 from the Eiffel Tower. Looks great!

I took my 50th ride on mystic today! why is it so low? Wasn’t a visitor. Employee instead. I’m still happy with getting 50! In other news, the park installed Anti-rollbacks at the top of the brake run for mystic as valley prevention.

I’m sure that they’re always willing to talk. Plus the park has a fantastic relationship with EJ. Maybe it could happen!

Some may find this familiar, but also oddly different. Worth a watch!

Sorry Goble, but you can't blame this one on Kinzel. KI charging fees for online orders started in the Paramount years. I know because I was the one that printed the season pass orders back then. The fee then was $2.99 per order (not per item). Of course, that was also before Accesso. Other meats include brisket, pulled pork and sliced hot dogs. Highly recommend the mac & cheese bar! I can't wait until tomorrow when I get to have it again before I have to report to work. Of course, with the weather being what it is today, who knows what's in store for my show tonight. Our stage is covered, but when we're in the wings we aren't covered, then there's the issue of walking out to our stage with our microphones in the rain... So I may get to have the mac & cheese tonight too (and finally watch the indoor shows I've been dying to see)!

A good model train display would be a welcome addition in my book.

Santa's Toy Factory is my favorite show that KI ever did. As much as I love performing at WinterFest, I still wouldn't mind having one night off so I can see how Tinker's lives up to it. I know a few of the performers in that show and they're very talented. But on the other hand, I don't want to end The Plight Before Christmas' streak... as of last night we've completed 64 of our total 92 scheduled shows.

Drop Tower decorated to look like "The North Pole." Open the Eiffel Tower observation deck (probably the 265' platform) to get a 360 degree birdseye view of the event. Maybe call it "Santa's Treehouse." This may not be a possibility due to the windchill and the wires that may be all over the platform for the lights.

Maybe a partnership with EnterTRAINment Junction?? Paging @BoddaH1994 to get that ball rolling!

The Poindexter in the 2005 version went on to do several Broadway shows, including Wicked, and now has a regular role on the tv show Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.

Just think, all of these performers are now nearly 50 years old but still probably 5’1. Also, for a closer version (and I have posted this before) this was the version that was produced by Jack Rouse Associates for the 2005 one-off Winterfest. Although Winterfest is an A+ event this year, my one small wish would be for this show to be in the KI Theater so the set can be elaborate like it was in 2005, although I think the casting is surprisingly good this year.

What ideas do you have for future Winterfest events? 1. I’d like to see BLSC plaza used for a model train display 2. How about putting an “ice castle” meet and greet on the “mountain” also know as Flight Commander pad? 3. WindSeeker Tower could be used for a light show, perhaps Christmas tree number two. 4. Of course SR&R could operate with an awesome light package. 5. Theme the back of Coney Mall to Rivertown as the Ice Kingdom with those white jeweled lights like the trees in Ice Zone. (They are beautiful!) 6. Perhaps an area dedicated to the Nut Cracker Ballet. There are so many things they could add. I’m excited for next year!

The integration of the animals into the park at BGT is very well done, in my opinion. I love how the skyride makes you feel like you are in the middle of a nature preserve. Same goes for the train.

Posting for the first time in months. Out of my two visits this season to Winterfest, I must say I think the lights were well done, live entertainment was outstanding, and the overall feel and atmosphere of the park was next to none. That being said, I have some small qualms. Winterfest does not have any real light show. Festival of Lights has their show on the lake with lights synchronized to music. I would like to see that at Winterfest. I thought "Winterfest Way" was supposed to be that, but it was really just a bunch of randomly flashing lights. Secondly, I hate the timing of the live entertainment. Most of the shows started at either :00 or :30, so I struggled figuring out what to go see - because once Charlie Brown's Christmas Spectacular was over, I didn't have enough time to get to the next show. I wish more of the shows would alternate (so, half at :15 and half at :30). Not entirely sure if I am speaking logically, I just know there is something I didn't like about it. Other than that, Winterfest was great. I can't wait to see what they have in store for next year.

I absolutely agree with this! Yes! Thank you!

Ive visited both KI Winterfest and Dollywood's Smokey Mountain Christmas this year and found them both to be outstanding. I wouldn't rate one above the other. The entry into Kings Island just cannot be topped with the Royal Fountain, International Street and the Eiffel Tower Christmas Tree. Its nice Dollywood has all their coasters going but the shows and food are over the top there. Both are outstanding and its great to see Winterfest back at Kings Island.

My guess is a Giga, as that, in my opinion, is the current big void in KI's lineup compared to the other large parks in the chain. Also, this seems to be the best location for one, and would breathe life into fairly dead end of the park (if the entrance is back there). If it is a Giga, I hope they don't give it a name with the height in it... I hate the names Fury 325 and Intimidator 305.

I've only tried the mac & cheese bar. I will say it is absolutely fantastic. You can either get mac & cheese or tater tots. There is a bunch of toppings you can get on it, including the option to get one of three meats (meatballs, popcorn chicken, and I can't think of the other). Like it's said its absolutely delicious. I haven't tried the other places, but I'm sure someone will let you know how it was.

Have to agree to the “on par or better” than Dollywood. So much of the entertainment is “in the street” at ki that I think it adds to the energy. A few more flat rides open would push the energy level higher, but I understand why things even like Viking fury aren’t open from an ops standpoint as the line for skate check in would make getting to it crazy. There seems to be a more”high energy” vibe here whereas Dollywood is a bit more “laid back country”

I went to the buffet last night. One of the surprises for me is that the little cubbie booths on the very top level have been removed and that is where the buffet was laid out. It's not an awful choice for the layout, but those semi-private booths were always so cozy. It was still magical being able to sit and eat and watch the park (especially the Eiffel Tower cycling and the fountain skaters) Ok, so here's everything that was on the buffet. I'm putting it as a spoiler so that people who don't want to load this many images don't have to: I at least tried nearly everything, and it almost all ranged from good to excellent. My one disappointment was the pasta primavera- I'm not vegetarian but I have always enjoyed veggies, and I found this to be surprisingly flavorless. Maybe roasting the vegetables could have helped? The surprise hit for me was the pumpkin soup. I keep thinking about it, and wish I could have some more today. All in all, this was an experience that was definitely worth the price!

^I agree completely! Last night, when I rode Scrambler, Dodgem, and Zephyr, I appreciated my rides on them much more as I did not have to worry about deciding which of the many rides to ride next in my limited time before closing. I declared Zephyr my favorite ride on this trip. -BFF, who partook three times in Zephyr’s time to shine in an otherwise quiet Coney Mall/Elf Village.

I don't see a need for any more rides being open than already are, the ride lineup is already pretty good especially for those with younger kids. Plus this let's some of the rides that don't usually get a lot of love during the summer some time to shine (looking at you Zephyr).

But from a business perspective, more rides equals more worked to have to pay to operate those rides, which means a lower profit margin. Keep in mind, that the rides they have running during Winterfest still need to have their off season maintenance done to them. So the park essentially has three and a half months to do their off season overhaul verses five and a half, or almost half the time.

Update for new hours for WinterFest again. Starting Dec 26th - 30th the hours are for the whole week 4 pm - 10 pm. Link at https://www.visitkingsisland.com/explore/calendar-and-hours

This guy and Goble should never touch. The universe and the space time continuum might implode.

Plus if KI gets a giga, they won't have to add anything huge for a couple of years and can focus on smaller things like more flats and family rides.

First of all, I went to KI on Tuesday and was a bit sentimental when confronting my old friend #19 Lew (nee Simon). The valves sounded like they were set very square (much better than I had heard in years), though the air pump was running all through the station stop at the waterpark. I'm guessing some brake chatter on the last coach indicated that the triple valve was leaking a bit and making the pump run continuously. It sure was good to be back on the KI&MV even if #12 was feeling blue and stayed in the engine shed. I can't believe it was 44 years ago that I last pulled the throttle on those locos. Mystic Timbers is awesome and a great addition to the train ride as well. When I worked there, that corner of the park was absolutely dead. Rivertown was Kings Mill (now Run for your Life), the train, the boring two person canoes, and the even more boring ten person canoes. That was all there was to Rivertown. And the train ride ate up fully one third of the land of the original rather small Kings Island. My guess is that a lot of people never even made it back to us since there were no "magnets" in that area like The Beast. One rainy night, I sat on the engine for over an hour without seeing one guest walk through Rivertown. The neighborhood out there has changed a bit. Now the train may sit in the noisiest area of the park! Actually, the ADA access has only come about in the last twenty years, so the Crown Cabeese did not have side doors. They built the two for Six Flags, one for Legend City, one for Pioneer and Western, and one for Lakeside, all 36" gage. They might have built them for Frontierland and Fort Fun as well, can't remember. The Alpengeist #17 and train at Williamsburg all came from Lakeside in Salem (Roanoke), VA. It ran only a very short time there due to a fatality on a roller coaster and a flood, both of which bankrupted the park. #17 and train was rumored to have then gone to a park in Greensboro, NC that never used it. Tweetsie rebuilt it for Williamsburg. It was originally baby blue like KI&MV #12, but with a big diamond stack like SF #6. Six Flags #5's coaches went to Iowa. Two were rebuilt for Michael Jackson. The other three and caboose are a wild guess. I think they are at Dry Gulch, though rebuilt from the frame up so it would be hard to tell. Dry Gulch has 11 coaches, most of them rebuilt from used Crowns. KD #552 and #5 would account for the chassis of nine of them. The other two are a mystery. They might have come from Melodia's set at Carowinds. Busch Tampa has four engines and three coach sets. One set is from #601 at KD, the others are originals from #4 and #9 at Busch. It wasn't long ago that #4's drivers were at Tweetsie. Hopefully, it will be back on the road soon if it isn't already. When I was at Tweetsie this summer, Scott McLeod, their Master Mechanic, had Tampa air pumps in for rebuild. Apparently the sand in Florida eats them. And for those wondering, WDW #1 is not at Tweetsie. They did not bid on the job. Enough for now. Great job on the history of SFSL. Love the old pic of the two engines in the enginehouse, back when the water tower was located so you couldn't get a run for the hill. By the way, send my compliments to whomever did the video of the history of the KI&MV on YouTube. Fantastic job. Only one correction: the Crowns are most definitely NOT 1/3 scale models! They are full size narrow gage and match the dimensions of a Baldwin 8-14C or a Porter catalog code "HADRIA". They are the same size as the engine that pulled the first train into Lebanon, OH. Only the wheelbase was shortened to take 150' radius curves at the park. Disney's first two and the four at Six Flags over Georgia and Astroworld were scale models. Kings Island's never were!