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Here are some quick Camp Snoopy picture update.

Photo for those curious. Also, Hi KIC. (credit to Mario909 above)

Things were kinda rough but I had a great time! As a pass holder who goes biweekly, I expected the park to be off its game a bit. I would never recommend someone who only goes to Kings Island once or twice a year to go on opening day. However, if you go regularly and have that itch after a long winter, it’s worth it to just see the park alive again and get a couple laps on your favorite ride. I’ve been to way worse opening days in the past and I’m sure the park will be humming like a well oiled machine soon enough!

Yeah, but in their defense, it’s an unavoidable storm on the horizon. On Friday they ran out of the double stack chicken sandwich, but in their defense, it was tens of thousands of season pass people, with a high percentage having the meal plan, all of which have tried every other item on the menu. I don’t know if there’s a great way to plan for that. I do agree that the Icee thing was a bit of poor planning and poor communication, but from the looks of it, a lot of the issues were corrected throughout the day on Friday or Saturday. Rides went down, lines were long, food portions were inconsistent… but name an opening day where this wasn’t the case. As somebody who was admittingly pessimistic over the past year or so, I was pleasantly surprised.

I thought it was a little funny seeing these Planet Snoopy signs still up along the new path. Not exactly a big deal, and may still be addressed, but I do hope these get rethemed and painted as well. No reason to not repurpose them somehow.

Had a couple of line jumpers in the Banshee line. Texted security and they showed up shortly after. However the 2nd party that needed to vouch for them were their friends so they didn't get kicked out of line. I have seen Line jumping too many times and not putting up with it anymore and will text security every time I see it this year

Sadly I street is the same jazz music as the past couple years. When I walked in and heard it, I was pretty mad. I don't understand why they are still keeping the same jazz music. The 50th anniversary was 2 years ago. It's past time to go back to actual classical orchestral pieces. They might as well rename I street to New Orleans Square at this point lol.

Happy opening weekend everyone! Here’s to a great 2024 season!

Snoopy's Soapbox Racers has started testing! Imo I think it is very likely we may see this thing open around the time of the ACE Spring Conference in May! Maybe the weekend before? Hoping that is the case!

'Master, a majority of your posts tend to be exceedingly full of sprite to prove to yourself that you are RIGHT. Yes, I park there (I pay for it too....). I usually ride <10 rides a year probably (I just paid $140 for a Season Pass). I tend to not use the restrooms there because they are disgusting, and not all the park's fault. Seemingly grown men who cannot hit a large target like a urinal in front of them feel the need to try their luck at a toilet and proceed to leave urine all over the seat and floor. Again, that's not the Park's fault. But, I just dropped $1,200+ to the park last Saturday... and YES, guests should have some level of expectation that goes along with spending their money there. I can only assume you do work there or had at one time as a disgruntled hourly with a bad guest experience. Otherwise, this is a strange hill for a random person on a fan site (who admittedly hasn't purchased a pass in years) to set up camp on. Again, just say "thank you." While I'm at it, how many businesses have you run? I have owned several: consultancies, a financial services company, and a marketing/web agency, and misfired on a couple. While there are certain aspects of a business that one would be intimately familiar with, if I owned a predominantly outdoor venue I would view cars in the parking lot as paying customers not liabilities to the parking lot. Wouldn't concern myself with the number of times the toilet flushed- unless there was a leak. Flushing toilets mean there are guests present. I imagine if you ran an entertainment-focused business you would be genuinely pi**ed when guests came; that's a solid business model, by the way. And Boddha saying you work there. I'm willing to be you do... or at least did at one time. I know you're not a lawyer, or have had any relevant Law classes. No lawyer worth $5/hour would be posting such strong-spirited opinions on fansite pages. I'm not sure how you can come across as level-headed on other KIC threads, but have such thin skin and unwilling to acknowledge opposite opinions to yours exist on this one.

Video made me feel like I was there since my invite got lost in the (e) mail.

This is actually the first season in awhile that I've missed Preview/Opening day and I, for once, am actually ok with that. It sounds like it was a stark contrast from last season. I totally understand that preview and opening days can and will have their fair share of hiccups and crowds, but I am more than ok with letting things iron out a bit before I go. I hope everyone who did go this weekend had fun!

The new KIOSK

At the park right now and just got evacuated from The Beast’s final brake run about an hour ago. We were first stuck on the second lift hill for about 20 min. The train behind us was evacuated from the first lift hill lol Diamondback closed as soon as I got here at 3:30 and hasn’t opened since. So the opening day hiccups are not in short supply haha On the bright side, it’s a beautiful day and the park looks great. Making the most of it! Def gonna get some blue ice cream after I get off Orion here soon

Chad doesn't look pleased

Rough opening day so far. Orion didn’t open until 1030. As of 1054 the following rides are closed/down: Adventure Express, BLSC, Beast, Invertigo, Mystic (it just opened as I’m typing). Edit: Beast wasn’t open due to a broken exit gate. Photo from the FB Passholder Page.

Here’s a quick review of Camp Snoopy from yesterday. We rode Woodstock’s Air Rail and quickly moved on to Adventure Express so this is centered around what I could see from that queue line. The good: Woodstock’s Air Rail’s paint job looks fantastic! It’s my favorite color scheme that this coaster has had. The station and fencing has been painted as well and had been the same since the Reptar days. The ride signage has been updated with a Camp Snoopy theme. The photo booth for Snoopy’s Soap Box Racers provides a nice near miss element on Woodstock’s Air Rail. Love the yellow train. The new paint jobs on the Camp Snoopy flat rides look good from what I could see from afar. The ride signage here has also been updated. The new paint job on the log flume station looks great! It had been the same since the Wild Thornberries days. The not so good: The sign for Woodstock’s Air Rail is tiny. We went from a giant 3D Reptar to a small circular sign over the years. The walkway between Woodstock’s Air Rail and Linus Launcher still has a purple fence and a Planet Snoopy sign. Hopefully this will change before the park opens for weekdays. Just a note: Pig Pen’s Mess Hall looks very small. I wonder what the menu will be. It looks to be a replacement for the cotton candy shop that Snoopy’s Soap Box Racers took the place of. And that location was already made redundant when the Snack Shack was added when Kite Eating Tree opened (as Plankton’s Plunge).

I saw this photo taken from the Kings Island Season Passholders facebook page. It seems the Wolf Pack sign got removed.

Amazing, mine got lost as well. The park must be disappointed that the two biggest contributors to KI web traffic didn't get their invites. Hopefully they can get that resolved before the next time.

A closer look at the fast lane scanners.

Camp Snoopy Merch!

New hats! Also there’s still boysenberry goodies at the sweet spot!

So I’ve watched videos of both SSBR and Good Gravy! now and I have to say, SSBR looks like a much more intense ride. I thought these would have very similar intensity levels but the custom layout Holiday World ordered looks intentionally designed to be a bit milder. SSBR has quite a bit of whip and kick to it. I think it’ll be a great time! Def enjoy the theming and execution of Good Gravy’s rollout a lot more though haha I’m also just now noticing that the spike on Good Gravy doesn’t have the double up-double down element that we get on SSBR. I am curious if that hump will give a decent little pop of air since it makes it up the spike quite further than I was expecting.

Planning complete:

If we learned anything from tracking Adventure Port progress last year, it's that a lot can happen in a short period of time. Right now the playground is just some gravel and excavators, and the mess hall is a frame. By the weekend, who knows. By next weekend? Could be drastic, just like Adventure Port took major leaps during each week until it all came together. On opening day it was just concrete and ride foundations, it looked like a possible disaster. But once declared completed and opened, it had become unrecognizable from the depressing construction site sitting on the midway.

Our safety is our first priority but you are charging for the lockers.

If I had to guess, the new scanners will also allow them to collect data. For example, when are people using their Fastlane and on what attractions. How soon after purchasing a single use FastLane are they being redeemed? I am sure they can collect a lot more data than the old system, which relied on the operators to put check marks on a sheet of paper. This new system also allows for real time data.

I think the single use fast lane kiosks are enough.

I just realized that whenever we want to prove its open, we usually post pictures, so this thread will also become a RT Freestyle Stand/train station photo gallery.

Update: squeezed in a front row ride on Diamondback at 8:58 that was spectacular! Once it finally reopened in the last hour it was running great! I thought Banshee was also running better than previous years today and was definitely one of the more reliable staple coasters along with Mystic Timbers. Orion was running well but down every now and then. Overall a decent opening day with the usual setbacks! I like this chilly, breezy weather so couldn’t complain there. Can’t wait to come back in a couple weeks!

It's open.

Last night was kind of awful (as expected with preview nights/days), but still had a nice time. Great to be back!

Did anyone else notice the issues with the loudspeakers in the park today? Banshee's Station Opp comm system wasn't working for the first part of the day, Adventure Port's mix had some audio squelching every few minutes on certain notes/keys. Definitely was more noticeable on the deck at Enrique's than the walking path.

Outside the Kings Island Theater:

Also got the new beef at G&G. I liked it. They also have a new pork kabob option and sides like mac and cheese. Still not on level with kings dominion G&G… but a step in the right direction. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Fastlane scanners and digital wait time signs are now present outside of rides. They look quite nice

Nice video. Fun fact: Good Gravy! has a top speed of 37 mph while Snoopy's Soap Box Racer has a top speed of 36 mph.

^It makes it up the spike pretty high for being loaded only with water dummies.

Used our drink passes at Tower drinks today as virtually no line. It was interesting that a group of kids in front of us asked for “water cups”. The associate said water cups were not available at this location and to check with any of the eating places. Could KI finally have solved the kids hack of asking for a water cup at the drink refill stations and then proceeding to fill it with soda? Just thought it was interesting and will see if that policy holds all season or Tower drinks has just not yet stocked their water cups.

Seeing all of the posts on social media today makes me want to get back up to the park - I haven't been since 2019. I'm going to try to get up there at some point this season, but am concerned about taking the old Walk of Shame. Right now I'm 6' 2'' and around 310, so I'm not sure what I can/can't fit on at this point.

It's a little busy.

Maybe I’m in the minority here, but I like the jazz on International Street. I do wish the track list was longer though.

They don’t have any reason to tear anything down, but they still are. So, they can save their heroic comments about doing what they can and can’t save or about whatever buildings they pretend to care about. Their actions are completely transparent and they’re not trusted by the public. Nor should they be. There are plenty of people/groups dedicated to save whatever aspects of the park history that can still be saved. This is completely on CSO.

@BB1 @chad_1138 Thanks for the pictures!

Did I buy the hot sauce? Not yet, but I did get some syrup and jam!

Oh crap boys, there is a soda fountain in the VIP shack

@IndyGuy4KI are you planning on making a ride wait times thread for this season like you usually do?

While this doesn’t necessarily reveal any menu changes, according to the October 2023 City of Mason Permit Report, Juke Box Diner and Chicken Shack (or at least the kitchens) are being renovated for this season, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the interiors of these restaurants look a little different this season. I’m thinking that both are going to now be set up as quick service restaurants like the Corral at Cedar Point or the renovated Coasters diners at many Cedar Fair parks. Also, the October and November 2023 Permit Reports also mention the renovation of retail locations in Soak City and the replacement of the lazy river trough. A massive new $1.25 million bar and shade structure is also being constructed adjacent to Coconut Cove. There are some other interesting tidbits in these permit reports as well, but most of the permits are for work already announced (like Camp Snoopy). https://imaginemason.org/download/PDFs/monthly_permit_reports/2023/Issued-Permit-Summary-October-2023.pdf https://imaginemason.org/download/PDFs/monthly_permit_reports/2023/Issued-Permit-Summary-November-2023.pdf Here is the link to the site if anyone wants to access permit reports from other months: https://www.imaginemason.org/city-government/engineering-building-planning/monthly-permit-reports/

"Come one! Come all! Have one final swim in Sunlite Pool the way it was intended! Flooded to the brim with natural Ohio River water!" ***Conditions apply In all seriousness it is absolutely crazy how high the river is right now. And with more rain coming I'm beginning to think I will need a row boat to commute soon. And if I had to choose what happened to the land that will formerly be Coney Island and future become a new concert venue, I'd have picked for it to become a nature preserve. Let nature take it back. Make some beautiful walking paths. Moonlite Gardens could stay and remain a venue for special occasions such as weddings. Just let her spirit rest. That would be my personal wish vs anything else.