BB1

Welcome back to another week of the Poll Series! (Apologies for the lack of a poll last week, work is getting busy!) This week we're looking at the 50th Anniversary pin set, which has quickly became a fan success with various properties from KI's past coming back with pins for the 50th anniversary. I will admit, I was pretty impressed with the pin selection the park had; however for myself and fellow enthusiasts alike, there were a few parts of the park's history that we felt like the park missed out on bringing to life with the pin series. Feel free to leave a comment below if you don't see your pin listed!

That's what I was thinking, I didn't know if the park was selling scrap or where that comment came from.

Was this announced recently? That's the first time I've ever heard about that.

All of the models in the 50th anniversary shop as of tonight. Definitely buying The Vortex model when I get paid next. (Stood around for a good while trying to figure out the exact price and availability but the staff member was SUPER helpful at the desk tonight!!) They still have several copies of Goodbye Coney in stock, got a few for some Christmas gifts and they’re in good condition!

As someone who has collected a sizeable menagerie of themepark merchandise and parts, I have spent extra on several pieces over the years. That said, the pricing is a wee bit excessive in terms of what you actually get. Would I spend $150 on it? Maybe if I got a bonus or a giftcard to help bounce the bill, otherwise it looks overpriced; especially considering the $125 price point for comparable train sets for the KI & MV RR and The Racer set that is currently for sale.

Every year I like to sit back with a few of my fellow KI enthusiasts and discuss the future of the park, while discussing the current standing of the park. We are getting a major overhaul of a part of the park that has been in limbo for years being strained between two different themes; however that doesn't mean we can't look to see what else the park could do in the future as the park is growing in various facets. This week's poll is to discuss just that, what you would like to see as the next major capital investment into the park. Note that this topic is strictly to major additions, think along the lines of a resort, coaster, area refresh, or water park addition/overhaul. Personally I think that the park could seriously use a new water coaster or a full out purchase of the Great Wolf Lodge next door. The waterpark has been due for some TLC with a new slide for a long time, while I do believe that we need a new refreshed kids area, I believe giving the park a new water coaster could seriously enhance the pull away from guests who want to maybe see what Holiday World has to offer, and deliver a more holistic approach to what the waterpark has been lacking for a long time. Another major feat I would like to see is maybe buying outright the Great Wolf Lodge property. The waterpark and hotel keeps a steady stream of guests throughout the year, while also giving the park an opportunity to give a true resort feel to the current business model they have. We have seen hotels popping up at other parks recently, and I believe it would be the perfect way to expand the Kings Island brand once again for years to come.

Didn’t even check the Festhaus for their offerings, if they got rid of the kielbasa that is a major loss!

I would guess it will be in the general area. It’s practically akin to a holy site so I’d doubt the park is going to get rid of the rock.

Had the turkey with the cranberry bbq sauce. Absolutely loving the seasonal lineup this year.

Can confirm the dedication rock is still here, it has been transplanted next to the bar!

It's interesting that we didn't get a pin release this week. Maybe it's coming on Friday for the Wintefest kick off?

We are officially out of IAAPA week! A time when industry professionals and up-and-comers alike come together to announce new innovative options for their parks and their companies. This year we had several very interesting announcements, from lead car showings, to new coaster models for parks to explore for their guests. What was your favorite announcement from IAAPA 2022 and as a sub poll for the comments, what new attraction/showcased attraction would you like to see come to KI in the future?

I was just talking about the travesty of the parks with my parents last weekend in Magic Kingdom and Disney Springs. Chapek really took out the values and installed high priced corporate greed. Not a huge fan of Iger, but hopefully he could move things in a positive direction.

Welcome back to another week in our Off Season Poll Series! Due to some time commitments, I wasn't able to do last week's poll but we are right back on track! 2022 has been an amazing year to get on some of your favorite coasters. Some of us were able to just get to some parks, others various parks around the US. With that being said, the rides are what we come for, but it's the ride crew who keeps the coasters/attractions we know and love operating. Many sadly forget this, in the midst of going to the park, getting on the ride, it's the people who check your restraint, who give the all clear who makes it all work. This week's poll is to highlight your favorite ride crew from 2022, share how they exceeded expectations and how they got to #1 status! I was able to get out to 20 parks this year, from big parks like Cedar Point and Islands of Adventure, to smaller parks like Holiday World and Fun Spot Kissimmee. I used to work in the themepark industry, meeting various friends and colleagues that I still talk to who are still in the field. I have always been one to really analyze my whole experience whenever I go to the parks, ride crew operations being a major factor. There is one crew that I can say without a doubt always met, or exceeded my expectations in my 10 visits alone this year (including last night): Velocicoaster. Velocicoaster's ride crew has always been engaging, helpful, and accommodating whenever I get to the park. I understand that preferred seating is never guaranteed, however every time that I went to Velocicoaster they always got me in my favorite seat and were just generally helpful in trying to make a closer seat adjustment if need be. Who was your favorite ride crew for 2022?

Welcome back to what was a very fun off season activity in years past, and something I would like to bring back for the long term. For those who are newer to the site, each week I'll be posting a poll to see what you think about KI or the amusement park industry at large. Each week will see a blend of actual polls and topics for you to express your thoughts and to breeze by the dreaded Off Season blues. Yes, I know KI has a Winterfest event that will extend our season in the next few weeks; however the normal season has come to a close and for our northern neighbors, they no longer have a season. This week we will be discussing what your favorite part of the 50th Anniversary season was? Was it the new food options? The new shows? The merchandise? Feel free to comment below and share what you thought was the best part! For myself I would have to say the food experiences for the 50th was a huge hit. Absolutely loved the food options, the Viking pork shank being a go to for weeks on end. As well, the Dinosaur wings were REALLY good (would love to see them come back if possible!)

Banshee was a 10 min wait max, pretty relaxed day at the park considering the rain let up!

Physically maybe but traffic wise it is typically considerably closer*. *Considering an early morning, mid day or evening arrival time.

I'm planning on flying out there in November, Ontario while is considerably closer, has higher prices overall in terms of fares. I'm planning on going to LAX and Lyft'ing over to Knotts and my other parks that I'm doing. For the most part IIRC the main attractions should be open for your enjoyment. I would recommend calling the park if worse came to worst to evaluate the ride closures, as long as Ghostrider, Hangtime and Silver or the Timbermountain Log Ride are open you're really not missing much.

My thoughts are that they will either A. Keep Oktoberfest as literally just the Viking Fury and Festhaus B. Incorporate Oktoberfest into I Street and maybe focus more into bringing an "International" flavor to that part of the park. While I am excited to see some TLC to Adventure Express and for us to get a solid flat ride package the theme feels way too concentrated on an Arrow, which has a shelf life that isn't too far out. I would have loved to see a true expansion of Oktoberfest but for the sake of keeping a classic and finally fixing the theming issues surrounding that part of the park I'm pretty impressed.

One would guess that the merchandising team at KI is well aware of the typo; but considering the fact these are made in bulk and I would presume that they have all been printed/fabricated well in advance to each week's distribution. I would guess that the pin vs the mini blurb about the ride is due to copyright by CBS-Paramount, to say that something was called "Top Gun" in a text in the back would probably be different than having the name be prominently displayed on the merchandise, which is the value of the purchase, thus leading to some issues down the line.

Welcome to my 2022 trip report thread! I should start by mentioning that this has been a long time coming and there will be several posts throughout the week and throughout the end of the year cataloging my trips and excursions in 2022. Please feel free to comment and leave your takes in this thread as participation makes this a lot more fun than me just blabbing for a few paragraphs about my trips this year . Part 1: Before Darkness Falls (A USO/IOA Review) If you have been in the Haunt circles, you probably have heard of the legend that is Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Orlando. Arguably the best Haunt event and it still kicks everything else out of the water. I flew down late on Friday evening and got to Dockside Inn and Suites for my stay. I should mention, if you want an affordable and decently accommodating hotel, Dockside is my go to. Easy access via bussing to IOA and USO, Starbucks, a very nice but quaint bar, two wonderful pools (one with my favorite poolside bar) and to top it all off the rooms are incredible. I have yet to have a bad experience at the hotel (I have stayed there 4 times now) and I have always raved about the experience. Got checked in, put my luggage in the room and I headed back to City Walk to pick up some Voodoo Donuts for a late night snack and for breakfast the following morning. City Walk was insanely packed, and the line for Voodoo was 20 minutes out the door just to get to order. If you don't know Voodoo Donuts, they are a craft donut chain from Portland OR, I got the Voodoo doll, a doll shaped berry filled donut with a pretzel spike, a few glazed old fashioned donuts, and a raspberry romeo, which is effectively a raspberry filled donut. Once again, these are some of my favorite doughnuts and they were well worth the wait. Finally got back to my hotel, got some pizza from the quick service (which again was amazing considering it's a hotel pizza). The following morning I took advantage of the Premier Pass ERT and got a few rides in on Velocicoaster. Back seat on every run, was "loose" and it still reigns as my #1 steel coaster. After ERT was done I was able to round out IOA in about an hour 30 before walking to USO to ride some coasters. Note the train was down this weekend unfortunately. When I arrived at USO I made a very quick run to Mummy as it just reopened to the public. The queue definitely felt like it got some love and TLC, however the ride itself didn't really feel better in any respects to the original. In fact, the new CGI made the mummy look more like a wooden façade than a decaying corpse. The new beetle animatic was amazing but otherwise I can't really say it felt better in any respects. I rounded out the major attractions in a few hours as it was now getting pretty busy in the park. I wound up at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade for lunch and once again got the Shepherds Pie with a side salad and a Dragonscale Beer. The meal was amazing as always, the beer was actually pretty good, I would describe it as a lighter lager. As the day prolonged I spent some time going around Jurassic Park riding River Adventure and checking out some of the shops I never really spent time to look at before heading back to Dockside for the afternoon. As mentioned before, Dockside has a really nice pool with a very nice bar. I was able to snag a skittles mixed drink (the name honestly alludes me), and it was actually pretty good and reasonably priced. The pool has a lot of decent places to relax and enjoy the water, however like other hotels on property, it also has underwater speakers that was a VERY nice plus. Eventually we were told to vacate due to impending storms coming in but that gave me enough time to change out and to get out for HHN. Part 2 will be coming tomorrow evening so stay tuned! What's your take on Velocicoaster?

Please not again we just got off the Orion decoding train I can't go back to tinfoil hat mspaint land again for at least a few years. In all seriousness I can easily chalk up the GG and GCI bits to retracking on the woodies that we have currently. I don't see the Titan track coming to Mystic anytime soon but I could see some work being done on the bottom of the first drop or possibly in the return run. (IIRC I think I felt some shuffling in that curve coming back) For the other companies, to see CF maybe extend construction times or to maybe add a "surprise" attraction doesn't seem that off for me. Considering that we didn't get anything for 2022, and that we have a very recently vacated plot of land; perhaps it's time that we get an Oktoberfest upgrade and maybe a new version of our Keggers for 23? Possibly using the Zamperla Demolition Derby product to recreate the famed attraction and finally make a true German inspired Oktoberfest section. That being said, as for the other companies of course I could see the B&M piece being CF's continued maintenance of the coaster collection at the park, but could we see the beginnings of the slow build up to a new coaster in the next few years? For as much as I would hate to say it to see a Dive would be visually impressive, but to have a Wing would be perfect for what the park lacks, which is a solid collection of modern supporting coasters. The old Vortex plot is perfect for both kinds of coasters like I have discussed before ad-nauseum, and I wouldn't be surprised if CF, to cut costs and to allocate funds more conservatively, starts to break up construction into phases.

As someone who prides himself on going to a plethora of haunts/haunted attractions across the US I take these callouts pretty seriously. (Currently at 10 events/attractions for this year alone) I get it the first night can be somewhat rough but when practically every haunt besides Slaughterhouse at KI felt like it wasn't as scare inducing it was extremely depressing. (That being said a lot of the Slaughterhouse crew returned this year from what I could tell.) Cedar Point only proved that you could do without the major scare zones and still have an amazing haunt experience. Of which at this point I would not be disappointed to see KI do away with a scarezone like Coney Maul to recreate Carnevil or make it Fearground Freakshow. The park could easily create a tombstone territory area in the Rivertown section, reimagine backwoods bayou for the walkway once again next to I street, remove pumpkin "what have they done to my Knotts baby" eater and focus more on the houses. Which I should mention here in no way shape or form am I trying to put anyone who is working the event down, I know a lot of blood sweat and tears goes into the event and that the park needs to focus on what it needs overall. With that being said I wouldn't be upset to see the show aspect of the event be whittled down to the drum corps return, and maybe a show in the festhaus. Forget everything else, maybe even theme out some of the 'area' zones to the coasters around it? I E zombie lumberjacks near Mystic, Banshees near Banshee/tomb stones in the midway.

Anyone who says that is seriously on some heavy stuff. HHN this year blew it out of the water, heck even Halloweekends at CP just this last weekend had a holistically better event overall. The scares were actually there (unlike this year at KI), the theming is amazing, the overall experience is just so much better than what we get at KI.