KatieF

Adventure Express and Surf Dog!

I have a few nitpicks and they're all very similar in style... -The Beast's queue line has been in such disarray for a few years now, and with Mystic Timbers opening next door-- I think it's become underwhelming. Last year, I saw some of the signs falling down in the queue for The Beast, I could spy Haunt junk in the little storage room on the bottom half of the queue, and it just feels kind of dark and dry rotted. Why can't this get some sort of spruce up? I mean, this is the world's longest wooden roller coaster and it's held onto that record for decades! Park guests should feel that they're about to board a legendary coaster and get hyped for that in the line, but you just don't. -I have a love hate relationship with the leftover Top Gun theming in The Bat queue line. The stars and American flag are so stinkin' obvious. Just paint over them. Make them spooky. I don't know. I can't even call them an Easter egg because truthfully they just look lazy. -The brake runs on Racer are disgusting. The walls are covered in dirty hand prints and some occasional vomit stains. Again, Racer is pretty historic to Kings Island and coaster history. Take care of it.

I don't care if nothing is added but I want to see the theming of the current attractions to be fixed. I feel like there's a lot of lazy fixes but nothing really to make guests fall in love with the attractions again. Sent from my LG-M150 using Tapatalk

I've had two trains both times I've been this season. Sent from my LG-M150 using Tapatalk

BLSC and The Bat are more appropriate for families than Vortex. I'd hope The Bat went first though for that stupid queue line length! Sent from my LG-M150 using Tapatalk

Thats probably it but I just thought it was interesting. I always have theories about Congo Falls! Sent from my LG-M150 using Tapatalk

Anyone else noticed that the main Kings Island pages are posting a looooot about Congo Falls on social media? Sent from my LG-M150 using Tapatalk

Actually @Shaggy posted a great picture of the watermill today on Sit On It's facebook page! It was gorgeous and SERIOUSLY would be amazing. I don't ever expect to see it return though.

This is a great post with a few that I hadn't heard of before! Thanks!

Some of the wood in the old mining fountain thing is just falling apart, the warning signs fell when I was in line the last time (which was at the beginning of the season). This is a legendary roller coaster and the queue line needs to show it. You should know that you're about to experience something special. If I was the queen of everything, here's what I would change: -Either remove the little storage room in the corner of the canopied area of the queue or utilize it better. Like it's fine if it's there but take out the random Halloween prop that looks like it got tossed in there by itself. Maybe hang some of the warning signs of The Beast in this area. Make claw marks on the wall. A random body from Haunt was visible when I was there in May and I just have a huge pet peeve that I can see crap for their Haunt event all throughout the park. Like there's literally a maze or whatever directly next to The Beast queue line, just throw that sucker in there. -Replace the wood in the old water fixture. I don't ever expect it to run again, and don't want to see that piece go because I think that's just a part of the ride experience, but letting it fall into shambles just looks bad and isn't preserving the fixture at all. -What's the theme of the coaster? Is it an abandoned mine? Like I liked that MT had the backpacks and walkie talkies in the queue line to help tell the story. What could be done in the queue line to show more that it's a mine? Really I see a lot of random barrels leftover from Phantom Theater and maybe some wood crates or a pallet, but a TNT barrel doesn't really make me think of a mine. There's also like a weird mine cart thing off to the side of the exit if I remember correctly. That could be more prominent! -Remove the random vending machines at the beginning of the line. I really hate vending machines in queue lines. The queue line is already hard enough to see the actual length without a few random guests trying to buy a pack of M&M's right there. It just really sticks out like a sore thumb. -A soundtrack playing in the queue line is a simple thing that really could add to the mood. It could be a soundtrack of woods sound effects with an occasional roar or rustle in the bushes. It could be kind of folky music similar to Big Thunder Mountain in WDW. One of the things about MT that I loved was the soundtrack that eerie and the heart thumping sound was so crazy intimidating. -Speaking of the haunt behind The Beast's queue line, why not grow some trees or bushes to kind of hide that? I think it'd be way spookier and easier to theme when it's finally time for that event, and I just hate seeing it. That's my biggest pet peeve with Kings Island. I know it's a big deal with the park, but the majority of the season--that building isn't being used. Take the sign down, hide the building some from the queue line. Seeing these autumn attractions really catches my eye when I'm in a park at the end of April, and not in a good way. It makes me go "oh, they haven't cleaned up from Halloween yet". I know I'm in the minority but boy do I hate it. I'm also looking at you, The Bat.

I wondered if they'd do something like bring back the backwards car on The Racer or spruce something up on The Beast. I wouldn't mind seeing the themes get spruced up on the queue line of The Beast. If you're just getting off of Mystic Timbers which looks fantastic, The Beast looks a little rough.

You're not alone. I'm a millennial and can hardly tolerate the park on certain days. The teenagers can be incredibly disrespectful, I have a pixie haircut and I got a few rude comments insinuating my sexual orientation or if I was transgender. Then the parents who let their children do whatever get to me the most. I can blow off a nasty comment, but I watched an adult let probably a 10-12 year old girl, turned around in line so when the line moved she didn't see it because she was too busy talking, lick the colorful coating off of Skittles and then spit them out throughout the queue line of Adventure Express. She'd spit them just to the side towards the Fast Lane line, she'd spit them through the little openings in the tunneled part of the line. For some reason, even though I know it's a child, that grated on my nerves more than anything.

I'd like to see themes match the designated lands and rides more. It doesn't really flow well. Like I can't tell where Action Zone ends and Oktoberfest begins. I get that KI isn't really a vacation destination set for many families like Disney or Universal, but why couldn't it be? I don't expect Disney quality, but I expect stuff like making sure the rides have a fresh coat of paint when the new season begins and for locations to not just sit empty for years and years, for example, the old TR building. Quality of the attractions that have been there for decades should not be sacrificed just because they're building a new coaster. I think keeping consistent upkeep on themes and attractions could really make Kings Island stand out as a theme park, and make it a destination for more families.

Are the break rooms and things near Rivertown? I think it'd be fun to take a backstage tour of KI because they're really good at hiding some of that stuff. Except for leftover Haunt decorations. They don't hide that well.

I actually noticed that the BLSC sign is just in better shape than KI too. That's what gave it away to me.

I had never caught that! What a cool homage to the old ride!

Is it disorienting? I think I have this fear that I will get sick. When I rode Vortex 10 years ago or however long it's been, I remember the corkscrews made me feel dizzy and kind of nauseous. I think that is stuck in my brain!

I'm super late on this trip report-- But anyways, on 5/6, we decided the best way to celebrate the Kentucky Derby was go to Kings Island! We got there around 11 or 12 and had to go catch a few rides in Planet Snoopy first. Truthfully, I always start in Planet Snoopy because I'm a big chicken and have to get warmed up. Luckily the rest of my group feels the same way! I was a little bummed that Surf Dog was down this day, because truthfully that's one of my favorite rides in the park. It's simple and pretty fun for all ages. I did get to catch a ride on Aerial Aces (I can't ever remember the full name of this coaster...it's the yellow one!) which is always a little taller than I remember, but fun. I remember that day was a really slow moving queue, which is probably better than getting rushed on-- but it was just kind of slow. Positive note: Boo Blasters was in the best working order than I've ever seen. Nearly every target worked, all of the animatronics worked, sound effects were perfect-- other than the line being so long. My boyfriend and I rode in one car, and my friend and his boyfriend were right behind us. Somehow several cars were left empty between us-- but the line was insanely long. I'm not sure why but it seemed like a waste. What I was most excited about was riding Mystic Timbers again. We headed there next and I was super tickled that the line was fairly short and moving quickly. They kept announcing that they were trying to hit a capacity record for the day, and I hope they hit their goal. That ride really is fabulous. Sometimes it's so fast feeling that I can't take in some of the scenery, but I also wouldn't change that. My boyfriend and my friends were kind of iffy about the Shed, but I kept saying-- what did you expect, honestly? Even if they had a guy in there with a chainsaw-- how would that work with kids coming through and the amount of trains rolling through as well? I'm still so pleased with this coaster. We headed to The Beast next, and I hope the queue line gets some TLC in a future season. The ride itself is wonderful, and after seeing where Magenta Lizard's hand touched the tunnel-- I've never been able to keep my hands up again in that last helix. I also got a nasty bruise from The Beast this time where my arm fat got pinched in the seat. I went around the rest of the day saying the blue line on my arm was the mark of The Beast. I thought I was funny, haha. This ride is always so important to me! It was my first big roller coaster, so it's one I always have to hit. I don't really do upside down coasters so I don't ride Vortex, but my friends and boyfriend said this was the best ride they've ever had on it. Whatever they did to the track is perfect! My b/f said it was much smoother and enjoyable than in the past! We spent a lot of time around Planet Snoopy this day, which was a great place to relax. It was fairly quiet, cool, and they have some great concession stands! My boyfriend and I got a burrito and some chips and queso from Hanks. It was absolutely delicious and worth the money, but my goodness is the wait time slow and fairly confusing. I couldn't tell where or how to purchase a drink and the actual line of workers seemed kind of disjointed. I highly recommend everyone ride the train just to see some of the views of Mystic Timbers. That first hill is beautiful! There was a giant choir festival or something there that day, and there was about 10,000 (or at least what it felt like) middle schoolers everywhere. Overall everyone was incredibly well behaved, but some of these twerps annoyed me to tears or worried me. Trying to touch the sides of The Beast track, spitting candy out and throwing it while in line for Adventure Express, recording rides after ride ops have repeatedly asked them to put the phone up.... I know I need to be a nice adult and be understanding that they're on a field trip but some of them made it very hard. This was the first trip where I got fairly close to Flight of Fear. As a teenager, I had a really bad experience with my sister in this line and it's been bugging me that I love roller coasters but am afraid to ride this stupid thing. I used to be afraid of going upside down, but now I'm just afraid of getting on it. I think I would be fine if I could just hop on and not have to wait and anticipate, but it nearly brings me to tears. Is there any other chickens in this group? I'm afraid I'll get disoriented and sick on Flight of Fear like I did on Vortex 10 years ago. Is this ride rough? I feel like if I can get past this hurdle, I can move on to Banshee and Diamondback and some of the others I've been too afraid of. I know FoF takes off like Backlot Stunt Coaster, which I enjoy although sometimes it hurts my neck. Help! Anyways, overall it was a great day to be at Kings Island! I wish they'd strap me onto The Beast or Mystic Timbers and let me stay on all day! The Racer was also an incredibly great ride this time. It gave me some of the best airtime in the park!

I agree! It really made it look fresh! Sent from my LG-M150 using Tapatalk

I'm with Ken. Personally I think it's ticketed as one coaster, so I count it as one credit. Sent from my LG-M150 using Tapatalk

I think Saturday's may be the best! Everyone thought that I was going to be miserable last week because of the weather and it ended up being perfect! Sent from my LG-M150 using Tapatalk

I was actually super impressed with the shed, but I knew what was going to be in it before I rode it. I had a little trouble seeing the first screen of you're towards the back of the car, so I truthfully can't tell you what was on it. I think the shed is cool because you can play with it over the years. If the screens start to get the Boocifer effect and not work, I think some old parlor tricks of something moving by itself or other ghostly activity would be super neat and would add to the creepy sawmill vibe. It wouldn't be monster themed, but it'd be neat.

I heard it as the park was closing, and occasionally thrown in at Planet Snoopy.

Sounds silly but I wasn't expecting to see him walking around the track by MT and it spooked me. The theming had me anxious!

When I went to the park last Saturday, I was amazed at the difference of entering the park with the music change! Like I thought everyone was just exaggerating at how much better it is.