MaestroJr

That's nice to see! It's good to see them put work into Boo Blasters because last year, I rode it 9 times throughout the year and every time most everything was broken. The worst was Boocifer at the organ who turned around and said "dance to my phan" not being able to finish the word phantom. He then turned around and said nothing as we passed by. But if you remember this happened to Maestro on Phantom Theater a lot as well. He would get stuck and not turn all the way so he would face the wall and talk and taunt the wall instead of people basically. I'm a lover of Boo Blasters, so I look forward to many rides this year and hopefully it will work well for me too.

That would be interesting to see new technology as time goes by.

My opinion is that Mystic Timbers is a terrific coaster but the shed is also a nice touch, but do you guys think that Mystic Timbers shed will receive regular maintenance and care for the long run or do you think it may go the way of Adventure Express. And also do you think that losing the shed to any technical problems will make Mystic Timbers any less appealing?

On First Rider night, we all started clapping and dancing when "man eater" came on in the shed! Did anybody notice the old Coke machine that glitches up?

Hey Jarrett, I don't know if you remember but I took a ride with you on Mystic Timbers during the First Rider event and I really enjoyed our little chat about some things that I didn't know about the ride, you sure know your stuff man! It was a fun night and Mystic Timbers is awesome!

Very cool pics and nice trip report! Yesterday was a lot of fun on Mystic Timbers!

Been looking forward to this event for several months now and it was a fantastic, fun night at the Island! We had a beautiful evening in Mason, Ohio and truly was a magic time. I arrived at around 6:00 and headed straight for check-in. Checked in, got my Mystic Timbers swag and headed for the Reds Hall of Fame Grille for some dinner! Very strange to see an abandoned Kings Island but I met a few employees along the way to help make the walk more fun! Then I got some burgers and chicken plus a Coke in the Reds Grille and then we waited with anticipation for the opening statements. Then after getting to see Andy Dalton and announce the top 5 fundraisers, Don then asked if we were ready for Mystic Timbers, in which our response was yeahhhhh! We then got in line for Mystic Timbers and took our first rides on the brand new coaster! I rode until 9:00 when they said it would be done for the night and truly had a spectacular time! I rode it 10 times and didn't stop for anything, just got back in line again and again! It is a truly thrilling, fast, fun, and unique new woodie. WARNING, SHED SPOILER AHEAD!! The shed was a very cool ending to the ride and is very unlike any other of the parks coasters. It is a very similar concept to Adventure Express in where you've made it to the end and now the monster finally gets you! Thats all I'm gonna say about it though so I don't give away too much. Overall the ride is very fun and has so much airtime and almost never stops until the end. It is truly incredible in the dark and will rival The Beast for night time supremacy, although in my opinion The Beast is still slightly better because there is no lights or anything surrounding it, where Mystic Timbers is slightly lit up in some spots. I think I might have seen some fellow KICentral users there as I know there was many there and I think I spotted chugh43 in one of the trains on the ride as well! I also appreciate those who spoke with me and rode with me as I had a lot of fun not being by myself! Overall it was a very fun and memorable night on Mystic Timbers and I really enjoyed riding it and spending time at the Island for the first time this year, and it should be a memorable season! I'm extremely happy to have been a part of the Inauguration of Mystic Timbers, and also thank you to everyone who helped support a great cause! Now its picture time! Beautiful Ohio Sky over Diamondback, truly a great day for some coaster rides! As the sun goes down, our excitement grows as we are about to ride Mystic Timbers! Some very important people to make this all possible are in this photo, including Don and Cincinnati Bengals Quarterback, Andy Dalton! Nobody in line tonight at Planet Snoopy! And lastly the iconic Kings Island Eiffel Tower and fountains and front of park as I left for the night! Also we got some really cool Mystic Timbers merchandise! Had so much fun on Mystic Timbers and I hope everyone else who went did too! I look forward to many more rides on Mystic Timbers this season. Thanks for reading. Total ride count, only one ride of course! Mystic Timbers- 10

I agree! The Beast is more fun because you know that heres a 38 year old roller coaster that beats the heck out of you, but thrills you at the same time and doesn't cause real pain. Mystic Timbers is actually more thrilling then you might think, as even I had doubts, but after riding Mystic Timbers last night, I was surprised and I think other people will be surprised on how thrilling it is. I do still prefer The Beast as my favorite wooden coaster, but I think when you ride Mystic Timbers, it defiantly is up there with its elder coaster!

Had a great time today, got 9 or 10 rides in, (cant remember exactly, lost track after 7 because I was having a blast!) and Mystic Timbers was a lot of fun and a great new edition to the parks wooden coasters. It had some great airtime with plenty of twist and turns and I also really liked the tunnel in the middle! The Shed was a cool addition, nothing spectacular, but cool. I think everybody will be very pleased with Mystic Timbers, and it rivals The Beast for best night ride thats for sure! At night in the pitch black, it was even better. I still prefer The Beast, but this is a great ride and I hope everybody has as much fun and loves Mystic Timbers as much as I did today! The event was very cool as well and we even got to see Andy Dalton! Had a lot of fun and I think Mystic Timbers is one of my new favorites! MaestroJr

My Kroger is adding new Kings Island signs and promotions which is a great sign and got me really excited when I saw it today! It even had a cool Mystic Timbers sign, so excited to ride!

I'll be there, should be fun!

Like many people have said, their is a lot to do at the park besides rides but there is many rides you can ride, the rides you mentioned should be okay although I will say the log ride, Race for your life Charlie Brown is the ride I think your referring to is a little tight but still should be fine. Also The Bat is one coaster anyone can ride because of its overhead restraints and since it has a suspended/hanging track, it is not very rough and a very enjoyable family coaster thats not to intense. You could also ride Boo Blasters, which is a dark ride where you blast ghost for points basically, it can seat anyone and is good for catching a quick break from the outside. Also dont forget that the train is great, relaxing fun and can fit anyone. Viking Fury should be fine, along with White Water Canyon I would think. Congo Falls also should be alright. You could also take a trip up the Eiffel Tower, if your not scared of heights or anything like that! Most importantly have fun with whatever you ride and if you feel comfortable with a few rides go for it, if not dont worry and move on to the next ride. Hope all goes well and have fun!

Beast train back on the tracks, a sign that opening day will be here before you know it, especially now that spring is here! Picture courtesy of Kings Island Twitter page. MaestroJr

I skip it too, I rode it once or twice several years ago and wasn't really impressed except getting extremely wet! I see it leaving along with Boo Blasters and Congo Falls could offer some pretty nice space for future rides as well. If you've ridden Race for Your Life Charlie Brown, it's basically like that but with just one big hill. MaestroJr

Yes I do! I have taken these over the past few Haunts as I have an obsession with anything Phantom and whenever I see anything from it, I always try and take a picture as things from Phantom Theater are getting rare to come by. These first 2 I took in 2015 and were in front of The Beast queue line. It's the Flash Powder barrel and Light Bulbs crate both from Phantom Theater. Also the Flash Powder barrel was still in front of The Beast last summer. Here it is again. And this was one I'll have to tell you a story about. So, originally when I saw it in Madame Fatales, I looked at it and kept going however being with my obsession of Phantom, I did Madame Fatales again so I could take a picture of it since no one was hardly in there. Fortunately for me, even though you can't take photos in mazes, I took a quick photo of them and continued through the maze without getting into trouble and was very pleased on how the photo came out. I took this in 2015 and it's the mummy and Great Garbonzos cannon which are both from Phantom Theater in the Madame Fatales Cavern of Terror maze. I was so happy to see these still being used in the maze!I wasn't able to get a photo of the Phantom Theater furnace or Phantom Theater mouse being used in mazes but I hope you enjoyed these few photos I took of things being used from Phantom and hopefully they will continue to be used in Haunt this year. Thanks! MaestroJr

Speaking on the Son of Beast trains, they have been used for Haunt the past 2 years and I took a few photos of them both at both Haunts. I took this photo last year at Haunt and was really cool to still see it being used. It's the lightweight blue Son of Beast train from its loopless days that was on display near Mystic Timbers advertising. Next I took this picture in 2015 and it was 2 original side panels that were used on the original PSV Son of Beast heavyweight trains, from its loop-n-days. They were in a casket in front of The Beast queue line. They also spray painted the Son of Beast warning logo on the casket, as you can see. I hope to see these still be used and it's always cool to see anything from Son of Beast. Hopefully for Haunt 2017 they will be used again. Thanks, hope you enjoyed. MaestroJr

Hey it's weird reading this thread again and looking at a list that I made with my former account but I did read it and realize that I have a few more things I can add to the remnants list that I made in 2015, wow time moves fast! 1. I forgot to mention that The Crypt sign still remains and is only covered by a small cloth that barely covers it. 2. Looking at a picture posted today and going through the building for Haunt last year, many of the props and architecture from Tomb Raider and The Crypt still remain including many of the sculptures. 3. The Bat has the number "41" still painted on the station platform referring to an aircraft carrier from its Top Gun days. 4. I believe the American Flag is still painted to the wall in The Bat queue line tunnel, also obviously from Top Gun. 5. One of the blue lightweight trains from Son of Beast was on display in front of the Mystic Timbers box last year during Haunt. 6. The guns on Boo Blasters still have the peace sign on them from Scooby-Doo's! Haunted Castle and is in fact the same guns used on Scooby. 7. The mummy and Great Garbonzos cannon from Phantom Theater are both still being used in Madame Fatales. 8. Candles from Phantom Theater are still used and work in the exit hallway on Boo Blasters. 9. A couple things on Backlot Stunt Coaster are reused from the Italian Job version of the ride.10. And lastly, it's not really a ride remnant, but a great former effect on Boo Blasters was the smokescreen with Boocifer and even though it's gone, last year while I was riding Boo Blasters, I looked at the floor and saw his face acting the scene out as it was originally intended. However of course with no smoke it was only a projection on the floor. Hope you enjoyed and maybe learned a little more about some other small remnants at Kings Island, thanks for reading. MaestroJr

Yeah your right, it's got a lot of different little details from the past and that makes it hard to tell if it is being checked up on and updated and I just hope that when The Bat needs a new paint job eventually, that they'll keep it looking fresh and keep it painted orange to prevent from the old white and silver/red from coming back. The Bat reminds me of Scoobys Haunted Castle, which I and so many others really enjoyed do to its theming of Scooby. Now almost 8 years after its removal Boo Blasters is looking very empty compared to Scooby, same as The Bat, although again The Bat is one of my favorites, but it just feels like a mix of Paramount, old Kings Island and a little new thrown in,which makes it very odd. MaestroJr

No that's the thing is that pretty much since 2013 when the model planes were removed from Flight Deck, nothing has changed or been updated. Even the "runway" concrete platform when you come back from The Bat to the station still says "41" (I think it's that number) as in reference to an aircraft carrier. I don't think the Halloween stuff is there anymore but the M&M machine still is and I have no idea if they are fresh! When Top Gun was new, the ride was like being in the movie with its massive theming. Although I doubt that The Bat will get any new theming, it's still a fun coaster for me but it is not as great as it once was. MaestroJr

You mean this? Image courtesy of CoasterNation.com

Well said jcgoble3, you also have to remember that when Top Gun was installed in 1993, the lines length was do to heavy theming pre-ride and also do to it being "FighterTownUSA" or something like that and made it feel like a unique area of the park being the only coaster back in the area. It was like that and very secluded until Son of Beast was built in 2000.

Yeah it's defiantly a great coaster to ride for an easier, less intense ride and great for families. It's also pretty smooth. But your right, the queue line is way too long. The Bat is something I hope sticks around at Kings Island.

Oh I just meant that whenever I ride its line is usually not very long and I just thought that maybe people forget its back there. I guess usually after Banshee people ride The Bat and that's usually when I ride it. I just thought that maybe it's short line was an indicator. I would hate to see it go as its one of few still around and is a great ride with great history. MaestroJr

Unless of an accident I see The Racer staying around and not leaving anytime soon. Also considering it's historical place in roller coasters. I love it and hope for a new paint job but it's fun regardless. I could see The Bat leaving soon as even though it's a lot of fun for me, it's popularity is decreasing every year.

The Smurf Ride was the next in line of Kings Island dark rides and was converted from Enchanted Voyage a year after its removal. It was the same as Enchanted Voyage, but with a Smurf theme. It operated until 1991 when the building was gutted, ride entrance moved and whole new ominmovers installed for the 1992 addition of Phantom Theater. Hope this helps,