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All the ops could dress like this guy and have Wagner playing on the loudspeakers. I would be good with that. Name the three trains Whiskey, Tango and Foxtrot.

The helicopter on BLSC is below 250 ft King Ding Dong. We can rule it out!

*taps mic* is this thing still on? its been a while since i've been on here I know i'm late to the party, but I just wanna say what everyone else is saying, which is that Mystic Timbers is fantastic, smooth, and filled with airtime. I would place it at the top of my list of favorite rides at Kings Island, and probably at no. 4 in my list of top favorite rides everywhere. The shed did not disappoint in my opinion, and i think its a great element of the ride. Also, the theming is very well thought out and looks beautiful. One of my favorite things about it is that the line moves very quickly. Almost as quickly as Banshee's line, if I do say so myself, which is outstanding for a woodie like this. Even with the queue almost completely full, i only waited about 1.5 hours. Overall, its a fantastic addition to the park, and I will be riding it a lot this season!

Found the tweet about the chocolate bars

IT seems like it's time to modernize to submersible LED fountain lighting anyway, if the decision makers so desire. I can think of some practical uses for drones as it relates to scaring away Canada geese.

Wanted to share a video I created over the weekend, after spending a couple of weekends at the park with my girlfriend and her kids and grandkids (shh... we're only in our mid 40s) I blended in some footage from across the last two seasons, and shared it to Facebook and YouTube, to convey to friends and family all across the country the "feels" of visiting our beloved park. Enjoy! (More coming after I pick up my 4K camera next month, when things get into full swing!)

Same here. I rode the back row Friday night while it was raining, and it was an unbelievable experience (I personally like it more than the back row of The Beast). I was thrown off guard when it pulled me over the top of the lift. Felt like I was going to come out of my seat. An overall amazing experience at night in the back row especially when it's raining. A friend of mine mentioned (and a couple of other people) that they cant stop smiling while riding Mystic Timbers. That's where Kings Island and Cedar Fair really scored with this ride.

Hello everyone! I went to Kings Island yesterday (April 22nd) and as usual, here is my trip report. First up: my rating scale so you'll get my ratings for each ride. (I have decided to just give how fun I thought each ride was- I'm ditching the intensity and roughness ratings from my last TR). I'll also be going back to a 1-10 scale, which I used in my older trip reports... 10: Incredible. One of the best rides I have ever ridden anywhere. 9: Excellent. A fun ride from start to finish, well worth riding over and over. 8: Very Good. Would happily ride this again. 7: Good. Worth re-riding, but not if there is a huge wait. 6: OK. Worth a ride if the line is short, but not if it's 30 minutes or more. 5: Meh. Really only worth it if it's a walk-on. 4: Bad. Not really even worth a walk-on. 3: Very Bad. Would not ever ride again unless something changed. 2: Terrible. Why did they even consider building THIS?!?!? 1: Garbage. I have no other words for how bad this ride is. 0: Ultimate Garbage. HOW DID YOU BUILD SOMETHING THIS BAD!?!? OK, let's begin the trip report! My sister had gotten us tickets through her college, which was having a trip to the park yesterday and she could bring 1 friend. Since the date of the event also happened to be my birthday, and she knew I loved Kings Island and wanted to try Mystic Timbers, she chose me. We arrived at her school campus around 7:30AM, and by 9:00AM the buses left. We arrived at the park at around 11:00AM and my sister used her phone to check the wait times, Mystic Timbers was only 15 minutes according to the app, and since we wanted to ride that, we headed for it. As we headed down I-Street, we heard the new international music and it was awesome. We got a locker and paid $10 to have it the rest of the day (this was very useful and I would recommend it if you are gonna bring stuff you need to store, the disadvantage is you'll be running back to the same lockers a lot depending what you leave in there though). Then it was finally time for... Ride #1: Mystic Timbers Wait Time: 15 Minutes The app was about correct, and we waited 15 minutes or so for the newest ride at Kings Island. It is very well themed, and I love all the small details the park put into this ride. The Millennium Flyer trains are amazing, and the ride is buttery smooth. It's pretty intense, with lots of airtime hills (all of which give air, though it comes in different varieties depending what hill it is) and twists and turns. The trick track near the end is a awesome element and my favorite part of the ride. I liked the shed- though it is a little troll-ish, it's a nice way to end the ride since essentially it is also the final brake run. While Mystic Timbers didn't become my new favorite roller coaster (I've only been to a few parks, but I have already apparently been on some of the best in the word so such a feat would not have been easy anyway) I still liked it a whole lot and think this was a great addition to Kings Island, one I will ride over and over again in the years to come. Score: 9/10 After Mystic Timbers, we decided to go ride another of those amazing coasters I had already ridden before...since it was also wooden, and I wanted to compare with Mystic Timbers fresh on my mind... Ride #2: The Beast Wait Time: Walk-On!!! Beast was running AMAZING yesterday IMO (it had rained the night before and it was cool out which apparently really helps woodies). The trim brakes didn't seem to have nearly as much of an effect, and even if they did sap speed, it was quickly re-gained. The ride was a bit bumpy, but I'll admit for this one, I like it that way. The 2nd hill after the first drop, for only the 2nd time I have ever gotten this, had some actual airtime, although it was weak. The final helix, as usual, was utter chaos and I loved it. I was laughing like a giddy schoolgirl by the final brakes- Mystic Timbers is pretty awesome, but Beast is still my clear favorite ride in the park. Score: 10/10! If you looked at my wait time for Beast, you saw something rare. Yep, it was a walk-on. It was pretty cold, and the forecast was calling for rain (which NEVER CAME!) so at least for the first few hours, the park was dead- it picked up later though. We then exited Beast plaza and saw Diamondback was ALSO a walk-on, so we headed there next. Ride #3: Diamondback Wait Time: Walk-On!!! With no wait, we jumped right into the very back seat, climbed up the 230-foot lift hill, and dropped 215 feet with airtime the ENTIRE WAY DOWN. And it was like that on every single hill! It was awesome. You could also really tell the ride went 80mph because it was in the low 50's, so it felt crazy cold with the wind. The splashdown- usually only a event for non-riders- even made a louder than usual splash, scaring us a bit as it was a little like a explosion of water. An incredible ride on yet another incredible coaster. Rivertown has become crazily OP in terms of its roller coasters now! Score: 10/10! We then were hungry (had last eaten around 7:30AM) so we ate at Tom+Chee's, since it smelled good and was nearby. I got the Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwich and it was good, but they screwed up my sister's order by forgetting her chips. D'oh! Afterwards, we headed up and walked towards Vortex, which had been broken earlier but began testing when we were in "line" for Diamondback. By the time we reached it, it was open, and... Ride #4: Vortex Wait: 10 Minutes Vortex HAD A BIGGER LINE THAN BEAST OR Diamondback. And due to this, I actually couldn't get either 5-1 or 7-1 (my seats of choice) and had to go for 3-1. From this seat, Vortex drops from quite awesome to...pretty average. There was not much if any airtime on the 1st drop, and it was noticeably rougher. These 2 things took a lot from the ride IMO. Still decent, but I'd perfer to ride Vortex from the 2 seats I listed above if possible. Oh, and the 30th Anniversary banner they had was really cool. Also a Bat apparently tried to perch on the Corkscrews, but it flew away when it sensed the train coming- considering what ride USED to be here, and what we saw in the shed earlier, that was pretty cool. Score: 7/10 We then tried to ride Flight of Fear, but it's line for whatever reason seemed to just stand still for 10 minutes (during which point a 2nd Bat flew into the que area and went into the metal roof overhead), so we got out and headed Banshee, but we wanted to also hit The Racer and Adventure Express while heading that way. When we got near The Racer both sides were running at first, but when we got in line, Red Racer broke so we had to ride Blue. Ride #5: Blue Racer Wait: 10 Minutes (Due to capacity suddenly being cut in half when Red broke) We boarded Blue Racer and rode near the back, my sister sitting in the row ahead of me and me in the middle car. The ride was pretty fun, though a bit on the rough side. Decent airtime though nowhere near Mystic Timbers (and pathetic if compared to Diamondback). On the way back to the station, a empty Red Racer train came over the lift and "Raced" past us, so it was good to see it begin testing. And when we left the ride, Racer was racing once again, always a welcome sight. Score: 7.5/10 After Blue Racer, came Adventure Express. Ride #6: Adventure Express Wait: 5 Minutes Adventure Express was pretty fun this ride- pretty smooth by AE standards, and decent forcefulness. We got a good look at "Indiana Jones"- he apparently wears glasses, which my sister thought was new but we may have just never noticed. The music & spiel in the final tunnel seemed to be off, but the drum dudes worked, and the screech at the top also did. A fun ride on a fun mine train coaster. Score: 8/10 After "paying" Adventure Express a visit, we then headed into Action Zone and we reached Banshee. Ride #7: Banshee Wait: 5 Minutes The crowds were starting to build by this point, but Banshee's insane capacity kept its line to the stairs. We boarded the purple train (which my sister always seems to get) and climbed the 168-foot lift hill. One scream later, we dropped at 68mph- it was still cold so BRRR...- and began flipping. It was, as usual, one awesome inversion after another, ending with the awesome "slow roll" and helix. There was a noticeable vibration (though not painful at all) and slight shaking though, and I did feel a little dizzy afterwards. Still an amazing ride though. There were also 2 huge Falcons/Hawks flying in the woods over Adventure Express. Score: 9.5/10 After Banshee, we were getting a little thirsty. When we had eaten at Tom+Chee earlier, we bought a souvenir bottle, but afterwards we had put it in the locker...near Mystic Timbers. We decided to ride Bat and Delirium, then we would go get it. Ride #8: The Bat Wait: 5 Minutes After so much "Batty" stuff earlier in the day, how could we not ride the actual coaster? There was a minimal wait, then we boarded and rode The Bat. It didn't slow on the lift like it has done on nearly all my other rides on it, which was a bit odd, and you could smell what was apparently chain lube. We were in the rear of a car, and it was a bit bumpy, so I kept smacking my kness into the seat in front of me. It wasn't very painful, but it was a bit annoying. Still a very fun, though short, ride though. Score: 8/10 As we headed up back towards the main area of Action Zone to ride Delirium, I asked my sister to check to see how bad Invertigo's wait was, and she said it was broken. So we headed up, planning on riding Delirium and getting back to our locker. Ride #9: Delirium Wait: 5 Minutes Delirium only had to run once, and then we got on. It was the usual high-speed spinny-swingy action, though it was also quite cold due to the 76mph speed. A fun ride on my favorite flat ride at Kings Island. Score: 9/10 As we exited Delirium, I spotted Invertigo running, so it had been fixed since the app updated. We checked the line and there was none, so we got a quick ride on Invertigo in. Ride #10: Invertigo Wait: 5 Minutes During our short wait, as we watched the train before us run, I spotted something black-ish fly out and hit the rocks with a THUNK. It was someone's expensive-looking phone, and I saw the ride op get it and hand it back to them with a DESTROYED screen. Poor dude- but that's why YOU DO NOT take loose articles on roller coasters. Thankfully, it didn't hit anyone. As for our ride on Invertigo? It was OK. Nice forces and stuff, but a HUGE amount of head banging. I tried my best to avoid it, but nothing seemed to work. If you asked what roller coaster at Kings Island I enjoyed the least (excluding kiddie coasters)- Invertigo is the one I'd pick. Score: 6/10 After Invertigo, we had ridden most of the major rides at Kings Island we wanted to (due to the cold and stuff, we decided not to do Drop Tower and WindSeeker) besides BLSC and the X-Base rides. We then headed to Rivertown (cutting through the Festhaus and catching some of the 90's show...good stuff...also saw Don Helbig again there but he looked busy so we didn't bug him), got our cup, and drank some soda. My sister played the "Spin the Wheel for a Fast Pass for a ride" game, and we got...Vortex. We decided to save it for later. Then it was time to relax a bit, and you know what ride is good for that? Ride #11: Kings Island & Miami Valley Railroad Wait: 5 Minutes (for Train to Show Up) With Mystic Timbers now built and open, this ride's 1st half gives you more than just trees and White Water Canyon to look at. You great great views of the entire new GCI woodie, as well as Diamondback. The Bear gimmick the train ops did was kinda funny, and there were gophers near the turnaround point and geese living in the old western town, their nest on the roof! It was a fun, relaxing way to waste a few minutes. Score: 7/10 After the train ride, we had some time to kill before a 5PM check-in (yes, all that and some of the below were from 11AM to 4PM...it was not very crowded) so we headed for Backlot Stunt Coaster, which had a short-ish wait and had re-opened. Ride #12: Backlot Stunt Coaster Wait: 10 Minutes Backlot Stunt Coaster, I feel, is one of Kings Island's more underrated rides. This ride gets hated on a LOT since it replaced the Antique Cars & Flying Eagles, and yeah a lot of the theming from its Italian Job days is gone. But the ride has a good launch, forceful helix, some decent airtime and forces, cool fire effects, and a great tunnel finale. It's capacity is also better than you'd think as while it has small trains they dispatch quickly. I really like this little coaster. Score: 8/10 After BLSC, we went to I-Street and did some shopping- we got fudge, the Mystic Timbers "What's in the fudge"? flavor. We also did some shopping but eventually went to Coney Confections since they have everything for $10 or less, found some nice shirts and $1 fridge magnets. Since we were in the area and had time to kill, we did a few rides... Ride #13: Red Racer Wait: 5 Minutes Red Racer was rougher than Blue, but ironically I found it the more fun of the 2 sides since it also had a bit more airtime. Some of the airtime also felt weird, like it would pause or bump in the middle of it then resume instantly. We started out ahead of Blue Racer by a car or two, but by the brake run, Blue had caught up (I think it was due to the smoother track) and won. D'OH!!! Score: 8/10 We got in line for Monster, but it had become 5PM, so we had to ditch and go check-in with the group at the Eiffel Tower. We did so, and we hungry again, so we headed to Reds Hall of Fame Grille...and then left because it was super slow, so we went for Skyline Chili on I-Street instead. The service here was pretty fast, and the food was also pretty good and filled us up nicely. After that we tried to wait for Flight of Fear again, it didn't move (again) and then a bunch of people began leaving saying it broke down. We decided to abandon X-Base for the day after this, since FOF was clearly not running well and Firehawk always has a slow, agonizing wait. We wandered around for a bit, headed back to Rivertown for some of our stuff, then decided to spin the wheel of Fast Lane again...I did it this time, and won...DODGEM. Well, since we had 2 tickets now and they were in Coney Mall, we headed there to spend them. (They saved us little- the waits for Vortex and Dodgem were both very short) Ride #14: Vortex #2 Wait: Used Prize Ticket This time, we rode from my usual seat, 5-1. And boy, was it better than it was earlier. The ride went from little air to lots of it on the first drop, and the ride was noticeably smoother than before. Seat selection sure makes a difference on Vortex. Score: 9/10 After Vortex, we cashed in our other ticket for the Dodgems. Ride #15: Dodgem Wait: Used Prize Ticket Well, at least the ticket had me get on a ride I had never ridden before. Dodgem was pretty fun, but sadly the ride is a bit short- it stopped just as I was really starting to like it. Score: 6/10 (too short) After riding Dodgem, we were waiting for 8:00PM so we could get in line for Beast (app was saying 45 minute wait and we were expecting it to be accurate and we had to be ready to leave around 9PM and wanted to squeeze a night ride in). We decided to let the Wheel of Fast Lane decide a ride for us, my sister spun it....Backlot Stunt Coaster. Hey, not too bad, it's a fun ride and it actually had a line so we did get something here. Ride #16: Backlot Stunt Coaster #2 Wait: Used Prize Ticket See earlier ride review- same applies here. After re-riding BLSC, we boarded the train for a 2nd ride. Ride #17: Kings Island & Miami Valley Railroad Wait: 5 Minutes (for Train 2 show up again) Again, see the prior review, as this was mostly the same save it was now sunset. And then it was around 8:15PM, so we got in line for Beast at last, expecting a 45-minute wait which would get us a night ride...but... Ride #18: The Beast #2 Wait: 15 Minutes (App was 30 minutes off!) We got a sunset ride instead. Regardless of this, Beast was still crazy fun, and felt even faster than it had earlier as it was more broken-in by this point. I got weak airtime once again too. Also the tunnels were pitch black by this point as well. My sister tried to get a cool on-ride photo, but failed. Score: 10/10! It was now around 8:30, and with nothing better to do, we decided to try for the on-ride photo again, so... Ride #19: The Beast #3 Wait: 15 Minutes Now it was closer to night, and the sky was dark-ish but not quite, so I'd call this a Quasi-Night ride. It was just as fun as before, and in the middle dark tunnel, I looked to the right and shockingly was able to see the trees through the tunnel's cracks somehow (probably due to the speed, and my brain putting the images from the cracks together). The final helix was chaos for a 3rd time. Riding Beast once is great, but twice in a row is even better. My sister failed at her photo yet again though. Score: 10/10! In an ironic twist, as we left Beast for the 3rd time, we STILL had some time to kill for 1 more small-ish ride. The ride we picked was... Ride #20: Shake, Rattle, and Roll Wait: 5 Minutes Shake, Rattle, and Roll looks amazing with its new paint job and lighting package. The ride is also pretty fun, and disorienting with its spinning wackiness. A fun way to end the night. Score: 8/10 After SR&R, we headed out down I-Street which was beautiful and exited the park, and boarded the buses to go home. It was an awesome day- 20 rides in 1 day is very good IMO. It was also probably the most fun I have had on my birthday in years. I hope you enjoyed this trip report. In finale, here are my pro's and con's: Pro's: +Nearly all rides were running excellent +Mystic Timbers is a great new wooden roller coaster with awesome theming +Ride crews were doing a great job with sending out trains so little or no waits were common +Though the crowds were also small most of the day +Food was pretty good, though not the greatest +Coney Confections has some great stuff for cheap (compared to other shops in the park IMO) +Lots of wildlife was out and about Con's: -Tom+Chee's forgot my sister's chips -It was brutally cold most of the day -Flight of Fear apparently didn't want us to ride it today Anyhow, thank you for reading this. In finale, here is a picture my sister took for you...have a nice day! (Comments and Questions Welcome)

On Media Day, one of the people who got up on the podium to speak was from, I believe, the company that did the preshow (so what you see on the screens in the queue and hear over the speakers before the station). She gave a rundown of the supposed history, but it really doesn't make a lot of sense when you compare it with some of the other theming... From what I remember of what she said, in the early 1980s, when looking for a location to build the new Miami River Lumber Company, they found an old shack in the woods that was said by locals to have been abandoned/avoided due to mysterious disappearances. They tore down the shack and began to build for their company (because why wouldn't you want to build at the location of a haunted shack?), with the Shed being in roughly the location of the original shack. There were some disappearances but eventually the place was built and they opened: for one day! Something happened and everyone fled, wrecking the work truck against the post in their haste before continuing on foot. And the Shed has been sitting abandoned ever since.

^ That may or may not have been me, as me and my sister were at the park yesterday and rode Mystic Timbers for the first time. I don't have as much roller coaster experience as some others here do (I have been to Kings Island, Holiday World, and Indiana Beach many years ago) and as such it was my first GCI, but I can compare it to the other non-GCI wooden coasters I have ridden (which were made by Kings Island themselves, PTC, CCI, and Gravity Group). This is the best themed coaster I have seen at any of the 3 parks I have been to so far, edging out Flight of Fear for that title. I loved all the little details packed onto the station, que, and even the trains themselves. Millennium Flyer trains are also as amazing as I expected- the PTC trains on every other wooden coaster I have ridden so far are blown away by them. They are so comfy! Also in part thanks to them, the ride is crazy smooth- I thought Banshee was rougher yesterday, if that puts that into perspective! The ride itself was non-stop action from start to finish, with several nice pops of air and many sudden directional changes. The trick track at the end was my favorite element of them all. Then came...DA SHED. (DA DA DUM) I liked it, in a "OMG SO CHEESY" way- it wasn't super crazy or anything, but I did like all the props in the shed, and the visuals on the screens were nice. The music was funny IMO. Hence why I compared it to AE, which has a similar cheesy ending. I only got to ride once (line looked too long when we came back but apparently it was only 30 minutes so I'll have to consider that next time) but I really enjoyed Mystic Timbers. However, I can't say it's my favorite wooden coaster- I rode Beast a few times yesterday, and it's still the clear #1 in my book, and I'd also say I still like Legend & Voyage @ Holiday World better as well (Mystic Timbers does slightly edge out Raven though). Granted the 3 woodies I would take over MT are all also considered world-class by many, so I am probably already spoiled rotten when it comes to woodies. I am looking forward to riding Mystic Timbers again whenever I return to Kings Island, hopefully I can get the other 2 shed versions (I was semi-spoiled a bit on the shed before I rode, sadly).

Interesting ideas! I hadn't thought of it that way. The impression I had was a bit more straightforward, haha: The Miami River Lumber Company opened in the woods near KI. However, not long after, something evil took residence in the shed and caused all employees to flee and put the entire facility on lockdown. (In the middle of the frantic evacuation, one of the trucks is crashed into the entrance sign and promptly abandoned without so much as turning off the radio.) The only employees left were security people who are there to keep people away. We, as guests, are trespassing on the Miami River Lumber Co. grounds, along with the guy and girl shown in the video. (I'm assuming we consider ourselves "urban explorers"--think Adam the Woo on YouTube.) We wander the grounds (i.e., the queue) to explore, and we come across an abandoned backpack and radio. We hear... something in the shed. We push forward, eager to see what's caused everyone to head for the hills. As you approach the station, the guy and girl "see" you on the security cameras and, using the company's PA system, urge you to run--there's truly something awful lurking in the shed. They urge you to hotwire "that truck" (i.e., the coaster train) and escape. (This is the audio that plays just outside the station--it's one of the harder audio clips to make out, which is a little frustrating. It's one of the most important parts of the story!) So, you do just that. The truck roars to life, and you pull out of the station. As you do that, someone in the security office catches you on the cameras (and, I'm assuming, has found and apprehended your fellow explorers.) He tells you to stop via the PA and go home. You press on--and just before you're out of earshot, he warns you not to go into the shed. The next bit is a little fuzzy to me, so I'm probably taking some liberties here: I think the noise after the security guard warns you about the shed is supposed to be a microphone screech, as if the guard has been suddenly yanked away from the microphone by... something. And then the ride begins. Story-wise, I can't choose between three different scenarios for what role the ride itself plays: Scenario 1: Throwing caution to the wind, you take the truck for a joy ride. This is your adventure, and you'll make of it what you will. You hop hills, make sudden turns, and splash through a nearby pond until you happen upon the shed. And you try to stop, but something has taken control of your truck and draws it into the shed... (Alternatively, maybe you just think everyone's overreacting and decide to call their bluff by entering the shed yourself? Maybe it's curiosity?) Scenario 2: Fear grips you when the security guard is pulled from the microphone--you want nothing to do with this shed, and you hit the gas and begin flying through the woods to escape. You don't know which way you're going, but you have no time to think--it's fight or flight. Alas, you suddenly hit the brakes--you ended up at the shed after all! Was it your poor sense of direction, or did the woods themselves lead you here?! Before you can put the truck in reverse and escape, something takes hold and causes your truck to enter the shed... Scenario 3: Much like what's shown in the announcement video, you're meant to imagine that the woods have suddenly gotten a mind of their own and are chasing you through the woods. They lead you to the shed, and you have no other choice but to enter... Regardless of which scenario we're meant to experience, we enter the shed and discover what lies inside. I guess, for the story's sake, we technically died? The tale pretty much ends there. It might not win any awards for best storytelling, but I really love the theme of Mystic Timbers. It's simple, but it's definite. (Even better, it's not the blatant clone of Verbolten's theme that I was afraid it would be!) It makes me incredibly happy to have storytelling at KI again. And it's even an awesome ride without the theme, to boot. But with the theme, I've honestly felt myself be more excited to re-ride MT than I have any other new ride since I've been buying myself a pass, which has been every year since 2008. Mystic Timbers is a big win for KI. For me, the storytelling is a large part of why I think that. I honestly hope we see more like it in the future.

I spent yesterday as well as Friday evening/night at the park, and I was able to ride Mystic Timbers 4 times. It truly is an incredible addition to the park and I loved the ride from the point I first saw its plaza. Everything about it was a homerun for the park, which I'll go ahead and describe in detail. Location When the first signs of construction appeared in this area last year, I was very skeptical that a coaster would be placed here. If you would've asked me where I thought KI's next coaster would go, I don't think I would have mentioned this location at all. Then once we got the blueprints, I was still curious about the exact placement since I truly didn't think that spot could successfully work for a new coaster. However, the Planning and Design Team as well as GCI proved me wrong. When the official ride layout was released, I was very impressed with how they integrated a decent length coaster with the woods and existing rides. After seeing and experiencing it in person, I honestly love the location, and it's hard to imagine Mystic Timbers not being there before. I love how from the parking lot you can just see the top of the lift hill peeking up, and same with from a few other areas of the park. I love the view standing near the Rivertown LaRosa's. Seeing Diamondback in the foreground with MT's lift hill behind it, it looks really nice and seems like a perfect fit for that area. That wood structure adds a nice focal point when walking towards it from that direction. I was very impressed with how many trees the park kept, which is especially noticeable from the Eiffel Tower. Rather than clear cutting everything around the ride, the park kept as much foliage as possible that wouldn't interfere with the layout, which I really appreciate. In addition, I give high admiration for the creativity incorporating the ride not only into the woods, but also around the train and White Water Canyon. Theming From the moment you come across the entrance plaza, the theming becomes evident and looks really nice in that area of the park. While the two separate panels of the ride sign and the vines that go right down the middle that block some of the letters still really bother me, once you look past that detail everything else is really well done. In the queue itself, I appreciate how it starts as a landscaped meandering path instead of additional back-and-forth queue blocks. From the use of security footage, misc signs themed to the lumber mill, and the shed structures, it's a really nice experience actually waiting in line. I feel like the side of the station and shed facing the queue could have been utilized to add additional signs/theming elements but this is just my personal opinion. As a whole I really love how much the park has stepped up its game in terms of theming and attention to detail. One of my favorite surprise theming elements was the queue music. I wish they didn't have the FunTVs playing over it at the same time (but thankfully the volume was low), but the creepy/Haunt-esque soundtrack playing in the queue really helped set the tone. I hope to see similar details like this in future Cedar Fair installations. Between this and the conversion of International Street back to orchestral music, I was very impressed. Another one of my personal favorite theming elements was the detail on the ride trains. The way the truck was incorporated into the front of the trains was brilliant, and I love the weathered look given to them. It definitely completely the feel and look the park was going for. Overall I just really enjoy the lumber mill theme and think the park pulled it off well. In terms of the storyline, I think the general park-goer won't really pick up on exactly what it is. The audio (both when you first enter the line, when you go up the stairs into the station, and up the lift can all be difficult to hear, especially if you're in a group of people/near people who are talking loudly. However if you can hear it and understand the premise, it's very clever. I especially enjoy the sound effect as you pull out of the station and how the lift hill slows when you're warned not to go in the shed before picking up speed with a screeching noise at the top. Ride Experience To start, the Millennium Flyer trains are very comfortable. Like I mentioned before, the lift audio recordings help add to the storyline and get you excited for the ride. The final audio and slow lift at the top really add a nice touch before flying down the first drop. The laterals at the bottom really caught me off guard--I was not expecting to slam into the side of my seat as hard as I did, especially when sitting in the back. The ride truly never lets up from when it drops to when it comes back into the brake run. You are constantly out of your seat and flying to the side. It has the perfect mix of airtime and laterals, and per usual with GCI, you get some crazy and unique forces in places where you least expect them. My favorite part of the ride is the little twister section leading up to the tunnel. You really fly all around and it's actually pretty out-of-control and intense. I rode in the very front, very back, and twice towards the back. While many reviews I've seen rave about the front row being the best, I have to disagree. I was personally blown away by the back and thought it felt more like a mini Maverick than a family woodie. I'd highly recommend riding in the back at night...that really is an incredible experience and left me breathless. The shed, as I assume most people have heard by now, is nothing super crazy or but adds a nice touch to what could have been a long, boring end of the ride. I'd much rather have what it is than nothing at all. While I do agree it was overhyped, or that the quality could have been increased to match up to the hype, it's a fun little ending that's better than Adventure Express' (which someone behind me one time compared it to). However, on my very first ride the shed didn't work properly (the lights came on and what was supposed to happen didn't happen--to put it in a way that doesn't give away spoilers). I had already heard what was in the shed so at least I knew that it was a faulty experience but still disappointing for my first ride. However it seemed to be working fine after that and I got 2 of the 3 experiences. Overall Kings Island has a true winner on their hands. Not only does it provide a great family coaster that younger thrill seekers can ride, but I personally rank it high overall out of my favorites. Each time I rode it, I loved it more and more. I definitely prefer the back to the front, and night rides are significantly better even. The ride does seem to go way faster than 53mph and is filled with unique elements and forces that you can't experience on any other KI coaster (or many coasters at other parks even). Already I'm looking forward to my next visit to ride it some more. Kudos to Kings Island and Cedar Fair for an excellent addition!

The lights were on all night, at least every time I came by to film them. So happy to see them back!

I suspect PETA is behind this. Something about cruelty to snakes.

(Beware Shed Spoilers ahead) So far this season iv'e only been on Preview Day, but iv'e been taking some not of other peoples visits and experiences, and what i'm trying to do is piece together the whole story behind the ride. I recall Don mentioning that you will need to ride it multiple times to understand the shed, but the queue also has lots of story elements. Some of this may need clarification as its been a bit since i was there, and it was loud and hectic on preview day. In the end, im looking to try to solve the full mystery of the Miami River Lumber Co. The Queue -Entering the ride you hear that there has been an evacuation of the Miami River Lumber Co. -The Crashed truck makes me assume the evacuation was sudden and urgent -Security footage of over 100 cameras of the area are providing "live feed" (Only a few are actually shown but the camera number goes past 100) -Theres 2 people exploring the woods on one feed, they have an exchange about (?) seeing something in the woods, and that they should keep going (I couldn't hear their full conversation) -Continuing along the queue, in Wood Shed 2, the backpack and walkie talking of one of the people in the previous security footage is pinned in the top corner and will speak occasionally about the shed providing some sort of warning (?) (Even standing right next to the backpack and speaker i could not understand the audio, although i think i heard the voice saying you have to get in the shed) -Before entering the station there is one more security feed, this time of possibly a security guard with a flashlight becoming frightened of something off screen in the woods and running away (I don't think there is dialogue in this clip) The Ride and Shed -The ride itself doesn't provide many story elements itself that i noticed (But i also rode at night in the dark) However there is Audio on the lift hill of which mentions that you should Take the truck and go back home to your video games, and to not go in the shed. -The pre shed break run provides a final warning to not go in the shed and that it is a restricted area, before mysteriously becoming jumbled and eerily telling you to go in while slowly pulling the truck inside. -Inside the show you are treated to wonderful theming of an abandoned lumber mill with the vines from the preview video taking over before the final break run -Here you will encounter 1 of three shows featuring 3 different creatures accompanied to a variety of songs (Gary Newman - Cars / Hall and Oats - Maneater / Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart) All of which seem to have a cool old school scary movie vibe having to do with locking yourself in your car, and that there may be a monster in hiding -Once the music cuts, a black light will flash revealing hidden messages on the walls (Its the shed?) And the show will finish. Ive only had the bats which will fly at you and a giant monster bat will land just as you escape back to the station (I had a hard time seeing other shed elements and the show as i was assigned a back row seat) And thats all i have on it so far that i have picked up. Ive heard speculation in other threads that there isn't a real "Monster" to the ride, but it is the shed itself that is haunted or the "Monster". Something i thought is that maybe the shed is the source of all the paranormal creatures around the park, The Bat (The Bat new and old), The giant Snake (Diamondback), and the tree (The Vines that tried to take over). Maybe the Lumber Company was a cover up for a Monster Research Facility, and they escaped from the Shed where they were being kept and now run ramped throughout the park. This would also add to the 2 explores in the queue cameras sneaking into the area to see if rumors of a monster lab were true and the security being frightened off by something mysterious off camera escaping Id love to hear what you guys have pieced together, and if you have heard any of the dialogue more clearly!

Oh I could see KI adding one... Cedar Point did. IMO, if KI were to "re-invent" Octoberfest, Adventure Express would be ripe for a total re-theme. It could very easily be altered to a Bavarian theme - which it should have been back in 1991. I'm not sure what will become of Octoberfest. I hope for a huge re-do eventually. For years, the signs have pointed to it going away completely - yet it manages to cling to life season after season. It has always been the most neglected area of the park - long before Cedar Fair, Paramount or even KECO. Fact is, when the park opened Lion Country Safari (now Action Zone) in 1974, it completely land-locked Octoberfest. For 43 years it's been sandwiched between two large, and more interesting areas - that limitation greatly affected how it's stagnated for so long. I personally love Bavarian theming - so I hope it remains and becomes a more viable themed area in the future.

How About 100 be the 1980 Arrow Looper Carolina Cyclone​? The first coaster to take riders upsidedown 4 times. So while our Arrow Looper celebrates 30 years, Carolina Cyclone celebrates 37. Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

Also a big "well done" to the station ops team on Mr. T- when we were in line they were running all three trains and dispatching them pretty much right as the previous train was gliding into the brakes in front of the shed. Very efficient.

There is an Army Reserve center directly behind the park. I don't think they have a landing pad there or not. 39.347201, -84.245793

Prepare for trouble, and MAKE IT DOUBLE!

Buy doubles. Fixes everything! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm not sure I wanna buy them to eat or display!

Nope, still splashing as of Saturday.

Yes, the helicopter was black.

Not unless something changed this weekend. Last Sunday (April 16), I rode in the back row and got my elbow wet by accident, so it was filled and splashing normally then.

I imagine that early queue will look even better once those trees grow in.

If you have to ask, you can't afford it.

Crack theory: The on ride photo says "World Premiere" Assuming that its not talking about this season being the rides premiere, what if Mystic Timbers is an 80s Horror Movie homage in the sense the Stunt Coaster is an action set? The 80s Music in the shed, the cliche monster in the woods and missing explorers who trespassed? The monster attacking in the shed is the post credits scene, a to be continued if you will for when you ride again upon hearing about different endings. (Although i personally like the first idea more)

When I was there last night, they flew over the wires into the fountain. That's fine as long as they don't sit on the edge and block the laser beam. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We were selling Scout Camp Cards in front of Walmart in STL a few years ago and these geese decided to make their nest in the planter. They would get all bossy with cars driving by holding up traffic. I don't understand how these creatures survived the evolutionary process. The SUV is going to survive every time.

You simply cannot control a Canada Goose, they're just too horrible. Know someone who's gotten rid of one and lived to tell about it? Exactly.

Quick review, the ride is fantastic and a great addition to the park. It is one of the best rides in the park and I could see it being considered the best ride in the park. From the first drop until the brakes it never lets up and there is very little straight track. Tons of airtime throughout the ride. The shed is a nice addition to the ride and provides a good finish. The park has a really good competitor for best new ride of the year.

What an exciting opening weekend for Kings Island. Now that Kings Island is open for the 2017 season, we had a chance to talk with Don Helbig about opening weekend. We will be talking about the Media event through opening day as they unveiled Mystic Timbers. Let's start off by talking about Media Day. Not only did you have the media there, but ACE was invited to the event as well. What kind of feedback did you receive from enthusiasts at the media event? Let's break it down into two parts, theming and the coaster experience. Members of the American Coaster Enthusiasts know roller coasters and are very particular about the ride experience a coaster delivers. From the ACE members we had an opportunity to speak with at the Media Day event, they absolutely loved Mystic Timbers. They knew it was going to be a great ride and yet it still exceeded their expectations. The three words we heard most from them in describing the ride was awesome, great and winner. They really liked the theming as well. How did the working media who may not ride coasters as often as the enthusiast react to Mystic Timbers? We received the same feedback from members of the media as we did from the enthusiasts about Mystic Timbers. They found the ride to fun and thrilling, an attraction they could ride over and over again. Does the media have a different perspective of coasters than an enthusiast group like KIC or ACE? The media isn’t as particular with all the details of a coaster but they enjoy the ride experience just the same. Let's talk about the first rider auction. How many people participated in the first rider auction? Approximately 300 people participated in the First Rider’s event on Mystic Timbers. How much money was raised for the Andy and Jordan Dalton Foundation? A total of $60,000 was raised for the Andy & Jordan Dalton Foundation. We saw on facebook that Andy Dalton got a ride on Mystic Timbers. What was his reaction to Mystic Timbers? Andy enjoyed his ride on Mystic Timbers with the top fundraisers for the event. Friday night was a very busy Season Pass Preview night. I am assuming the park has an expected attendance for a particular day/event. Between great weather and the anticipation of Mystic Timbers how did season pass preview night compare to the parks expectations? Mystic Timbers had garnered a lot of attention leading up to the Gold Pass Preview Night. More so than any ride over the past 30 years. When you combine that with summer-like weather in April, it brings people out. They want to use their Gold Pass. The line for Mystic Timbers grew very quickly, (and was very well organized) did you expect to see a line of up to 4 hrs. for Mystic Timbers? Mystic Timbers is one of the most highly anticipated new attractions in the amusement and theme park industry so it wasn’t a surprise that’s where many of our guests headed to first. To see how many guests after a lengthy wait got right back in line to ride Mystic Timbers again spoke volumes of just how good this ride is. With a line that grew to 4 hours, how does the park prepare and coordinate a queue to accommodate that many guests? Our operations team was well prepared for the opening of Mystic Timbers. They spent a lot of time leading up to the opening of the ride going over where the line would begin and what the route for the queue would be. Another busy day for the park was on Saturday for Opening Day. What was the general feedback you were getting about #Whatsintheshed? The majority of our guests who have ridden Mystic Timbers have enjoyed the shed component of the ride. Some have told us it’s their favorite element on the ride. The overall feedback has been good from those who have experienced Mystic Timbers. Some feedback on social media stated that #Whatsintheshed was to hyped and they were let down. What is your response to that? No matter how many times you ride Mystic Timbers, it’s always a mystery as to what you’re going to see in the shed. That’s what the #whatsintheshed campaign is about. We noticed a new LED light package on Dodgem. Are there any other light packages new this year? Dodgem is the only ride to get the light package this year. Are there other rides slated to get an LED package in the future? There could be some other rides in the future. Winterfest The new general manager, Mike Koontz, confirmed that we will see Mystic Timbers running during Winterfest. Can we anticipate seeing other coasters like The Beast and Diamondback running as well? You won’t see The Beast and Diamondback running during WinterFest. Mystic Timbers can run in colder temperatures. Diamondback and other steel coasters can’t. In regards to The Beast, it’s literally a beast of a project over the offseason to have it ready for the start of a new season.

^Will Ride of the Valkyries or pirate music be involved?

Awesome. All they need is the bugle.

There is a hunting season for Canada Geese. However, in the US they are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. More info at ODNR - http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/species-and-habitats/nuisance-wildlife This is from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: https://www.fws.gov/birds/faqs.php "However, if you are a landowner, homeowner’s association, public land manager, or local government in the lower 48 states or the District of Columbia, you may be able to register for federal authorization to destroy resident Canada Goose nests and eggs on property under your jurisdiction."

Just consider yourself lucky you were spared and don't speak of it again.

So, I voted for the second option. Per RCDB and my own coaster count, I have been on exactly 7 Vekomas. These include one Standard Boomerang, an Inverted Boomerang, 2 Family Suspended Coasters, an SLC, a family coaster, and a Flying Dutchman. Out of those, I've really enjoyed the SLC (T3), the Flying Dutchman (Firehawk) and the Inverted Boomerang (Invertigo at KI). I really do appreciate Vekoma's innovation, such as the creation of the first standard flying coaster with Stealth (which I'll be riding this summer for my 100th coaster!) - and it's subsequent installations at Geauga Lake and Six Flags America - as well as the daring Tilt Coaster in Taiwan (there's a pair of dueling tilt coasters in China, but those are not by Vekoma). So, yeah, Vekoma's pretty ok.

Good explanation, TombRaiderFTW; the instruction to hotwire the truck and explore the woods explains why I hear the "roaring" sound every time a train pulls out of the station. Honestly, I think MT's story is a little hard to follow (but I do appreciate what you all have been able to piece together). However, even if there was no clear story, the theming and the stellar ride experience speaks for itself. EDIT: @Magenta Lizard: Amy Steele's story actually makes sense when you think about Me gusta!

^^ are you referring to "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" by Frankie Valli? Because it starts with "You're just too good to be true..." If so, yes, I've heard it. Along with Cars, Maneater, and Total Eclipse of the Heart. Oh and better than relying on my crappy memory, the lady I mentioned (Amy Steele from Holovis) gets up to talk at about 12:30 on this video

When I heard there was 80s music in the shed, I immediately wanted to get Rick Rolled

I don't think Vekomas are that bad. Invertigo and Firehawk are a lot of fun, as is Boomerang at Darien Lake. I even like Mind Eraser (also at Darien Lake) though I am well aware of all its shakiness (and why people have a strong distaste for SLCs); I was crazy enough to ride it four times in a row and have no bad memories of it. When the day comes for me to experience Kentucky Kingdom for the first time, I do plan to give T3 a spin and see how it stacks up. Obviously, Vekoma coasters are not the best rides, but I like them! -BFF, who is thankful that her home park has one of the most, if not the most reliable Invertigo in the Cedar Fair chain.

Great entry! Thanks for sharing! Be careful to not share too much but definitely share what's appropriate

Defiantly? (my auto-correct does the same thing) So we will be seeing you at the Friday meet-up then?

I really like what they've done to Rivertown and Action Zone so far, so I think X-Base is the next location that should get revitalized. I feel like it being isolated from the rest of park and being "hidden" behind The Racer gives the section an element of mystery. The Flight of Fear building looks natural and doesn't stick out like a sore thumb, unlike another KI metal box located in Rivertown, and Firehawk's placement is equally natural. Even if they can't necessarily tear out the neighboring maintenance buildings, sacrificing a little space for maybe a flat would do just fine. I feel like there's so much potential for that section so I hope the park does something to it in the coming years.

I would like Cedar Fair to paint The Racer really nice again, heck maybe bring back the backwards side. It'd also be cool if they brought a revamped Phantom Theater back..

Just.... oh my. The ride is quick, smooth, intense, forceful, absolutely non-stop, so much airtime, so much lateral g's, it twists and bends! It feels so much longer than 3200 feet! The shed was a nice and unique thing, I liked it! The front has ALOT of airtime. Here are my FunPix! @Magenta Lizard @malem @Mrs. No Chickens @Magenta Lizard @Mrs. No Chickens @IndyGuy4KI @Beastie1980 @2012Jarrett @WailsLikeABanshee @Beastie1980 @rcwizard13 @malem @Beastie1980 @Beastie1980 @aandjgoods @ohiocolts @ohiocolts @aandjgoods

It was amazing! I rode it 10 times! It's so smooth, forceful, and packed with airtime! GCI and KI did an amazing job on this coaster! But The Beast is still my number one coaster and favorite ride at night. lol plus it kept me awake. Went to a Pacers game last night that didn't start till 8pm, got home from that at 11pm, left for KI at 1am. Now I'm home. So it's been a very long 18 hours

Thanks to everyone who posted advice in this thread. Last weekend I applied and this morning I had my interview. I was in a larger group interview with 8 of us split into two tables of four. We had all applied to a mixture of departments, as well. Initially I was offered a Planet Snoopy position, but as I'm over 18 I was also offered Xtreme Skyflyer, which I accepted. When I was thinking beforehand of rides I'd want to work at, Skyflyer hadn't even crossed my mind. I'm eager to learn all about it though. If any of you have worked Skyflyer, I'd love to hear about your work experience specific to it.

As evidenced by that photo, the area around Backlot Stunt Coaster has grown in more than the area around Diamondback ever will, all things remaining the same. It's astounding to me. As I've said before, it would be one thing if the park had heavily planted around Diamondback, in which case it would already be filling in and returning to its Swan Lake splendor as trees grow. That's IF they'd planted. They didn't. So in 10, 20, 30 years, that large, open, concrete plaza will look approximately as it does now – a concrete pool with a finely-mowed lawn and a handful of dogwood trees. Minimal shade, minimal beauty. For Diamondback's sake? Please imagine how incredible it would feel if Diamondback's return to the station and its descent to the pool was surrounded with dense foliage, making it appear to be landing in the middle of the woods. *Sigh.* A plus for Diamondback, a plus for Rivertown, a plus for the park. But then again, walking through Rivertown... A big steel coaster looming overhead, an empty warehouse in the distance, open and unshaded plazas with a concrete retaining pool, mowed lawns. "Call Me Maybe." Jason Mraz. Katy Perry. At least it's consistent.