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The park might as well go with it and just theme it to having been abandoned after an all out attack from a "beast," a giant snake, and an angry tree. Slap "Outpost 5" on there and you have your next dark ride.

Pin is easy, it was first. And it didn't have assist from terrain. And I don't understand why first can even be debated?

Only if you let it. Life is full of ebb and flow. I've found myself exited about getting a Big Mac, but had to bail on the line because I had to get to work on time. Expectation vs reality is something we all have to deal with. In my experience expectation is always a +%10 over reality, but I'm an optimist, lol

That barrel in The Beast queue happens to be the same barrel that was in Phantom Theater if I recall correctly. I started seeing it a few years ago and noticed it was the same "Flash Powder" barrel from Phantom. Also they had Son of Beast ride parts in a casket a few haunts ago with the outpost 5 logo on it. I always like to look at the outpost 5 logo on The Son of Beast station while going up the Adventure Express lift hill as it's easy to see although harder now with Banshee then it was in 2013 when the land was empty. Here are pictures that I took of both a few years ago. MaestroJr

KI has just gone to far in what they now classify as a “loose article”. A men’s wedding band? Seriously? Was refused entrance to Tropical Plunge at SC yesterday becuase of my very simple plain ring. What married male in the US does not wear one? Have never had a problem before including several visits this season. I asked to speak to the ride supervisor and she explained that the policy is new this year and applies to this slide only and a ring could catch on a “divot” if a rider uncrossed their arms. I looked at the signage at the entrance and all jewelry is now classified as a “loose article”. So just take it off you say? Well like many men who marry excellent cooks we tend to put on a few pounds after tying the knot and there is no way that ring is coming off my finger unless it is cut off. It has probably been 15 years since it has been off my finger and that was with the assistance of soap. So I accepted my fate without yelling or being a jerk about it but was pretty annoyed so I went in the wave pool to cool off and stew about it. I got to thinking about it being an issue 10 years or so ago when I had some surgery and the nurse wanted me to remove it. I told her she was welcome to try and she just ended up tapping it up with some medical tape. So I went to First Aid and got a 10” strip of tape and wrapped it up, showed the ride supervisor and she was fine with that. Something they should probably suggest to guests rather than just turn them away, maybe even have a role at the line separator position. I still think banning wedding bands is over the top especially when KI appears to do so little about cell phones out on rides. Am I all wet and everyone else thinks to remove their wedding rings before going to the water park?

You guys are killing me. ROFL I took this last year. You can see the EXIF data.

You can't diss a ride you've never ridden, Tera 2.0

I voted for Cedar Creek Mine Ride just because of the potential land use and just being an "okay" mine ride. Rougarou was going to be my second choice for the reasons that @VortexBFForever and @Oldiesmann mentioned. The headbanging is worse than that of some arrow loopers I've riden. Maybe vest restraints would have been a better choice to experiment with at the time. The restraints seen on Banshee, GateKeeper, and Valravn have spoiled me rotten.

You mean like no one? Vortex should truly already have one of those seemingly coveted plaques from ACE. When it opened in 1987, it held 3 records. It was the tallest drop, steepest drop, and most inversions. There was a time when people rode roller coasters for the thrill they provided. A roller coaster was defined by the intensity of the experience, not by the virtual "ride" from YouTube on your couch. I'll take a ride on Vortex over Fury325 any time the choice is given. Maverick? a discussion will be had.

I remember when we were going to get a new coaster named Mustang. Ride, Sally, Ride!

I'm telling you - the people who do the themeing love the throw backs as much as we do. These are easter eggs, not teasers. If they were intended to be teasers then they would be way, way more obvious.

Absolutely this, 100%! The Racer and The Beast are fantastic experiences and in my opinion, have aged well. I won't argue that they don't need any attention. Of course they do, they're classics, important rides at the park, and they have historical significance. But that doesn't mean they need to be RMC'd.

I love a good conspiracy!!!!

For KI Haunt 2018, here are some changes: Board to Death and CarnEvil have been eliminated. A new maze is coming: Chaos Check it out here: https://www.visitkingsisland.com/play/haunt/attractions/chaos It will be in XBase where the former Board To Death stood. 2 new scare zones: Pumpkin Eater: https://www.visitkingsisland.com/play/haunt/attractions/pumpkin-eater Coney Maul: https://www.visitkingsisland.com/play/haunt/attractions/coney-maul And 1 new show. Haunted Homecoming: https://www.visitkingsisland.com/play/haunt/attractions/haunted-homecoming

Yes, Rougarou I'd love to be on right now

I'm sorry, but I completely disagree with the Rougarou comments. There is two sections I sometimes get headbanging on, and I can easily prevent it from happening with simple "tatics". It's a tough decision but I say Wicked Twister.

I personally think Corkscrew is fun, especially in the back. I LOVE riding Corkscrew in the back! And I don't even need to mention its neat location! Not many looping coasters corkscrew right over the midway.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you. Closed again yesterday!

Just so he loses Everest's voice during Haunt.... Anyone who hasn't visited the pages for the new Haunts and Scare Zones, I highly recommend it. Each has a creative long-ish backstory. It's definitely getting me excited!

I'm pretty sure it will, I'd be shock if it didn't. I will riot with you if they don't.

Unfortunately that Vimeo link doesn't work, but you can see it on their website (click the play button in the section about Wildwood Grove).

The boxes in M.T station were added around winterfest last year for sure.

@silver2005 add t-rex track to Vortex

Did RMC ever come out and say they'd be willing to re-tool steel coasters? Off the top of my head, I can't think of anything they currently design that would. Also, with the price to do so, you might as well tear down Vortex and build a new ground-up steel coaster (preferably a Mack multi-looper to keep the lower height restriction). In regards to Racer, I think it just needs a new set of 3 bench PTC's like Thunderhawk got or Millennium Flyers like GhostRider got, both with extensive re-tracking and, hopefully, removal of the trims on the turn arounds (if Blue Steak and Phoenix can tear through their respective turns with some decent lateral G's, so can Racer). Its running the best it has in years this season and its still a pretty popular ride.

attraction or distraction, fine line. Mustang Sally!

I respectfully disagree. Any removal costs someone memories, or a coaster they personally love. In this case, both for me.

This, 100%. The 2019 Carowinds teaser signs are on a construction wall in the middle of the park with clear activity going on behind. The same can be said of the Diamondback, Banshee, and Timbers sites. There's nothing about the symbols, posters, or signs people are discussing that scream "teaser". It's all just well-designed environmental signage.

Well that is scary. Get that thing outta here!! Make way for project 2020!! lol

Merchandise sales less a probably a high shrinkage rate as well. Turn the tables and now KI is stealing guest’s money.

May have been something, but I know there was a stand where the machines are-right before the height check. IIRC there was a minor uproar when they stopped selling beer there, which was before my beer days. They also used to blast music pretty loud. I imagine The Beast line once was a rather social/festive atmosphere with beer and music as opposed to everyone staring at their phones or at TVs. ::shakes old man fist at the world::

#RMCTheBeast

Here's the full announcement video for those who missed it.

Best answer and most logical thinking. RMC is good for a problem child coaster. The only problem child Woddie we had was removed. Yes I would like to see an RMC at KI, but ground up. Why do they have to transform an existing coaster?

First guess, merchandise sales didn't justify staffing costs.

Kings Island is the "Wooden Coaster Capital of the World"

Loved that concession stand. I owe my love of ICEEs to it. Get an ICEE there and take it straight to your head while waiting in line.

Except that one on the barrel has been there for ages (at least 2014 when I started going to the park again), and the symbol has been in Mystic Timbers since it opened (elsewhere, in the pre-shed, and that box was added a little later last season)... Hardly "popping up".

"RMCing" makes sense as a solution for not-so-popular old wooden coasters that have not aged well. Kings Island does not have a ride that fits that description in my opinion. I'm sure RMC would be happy to build Kings Island a brand new ride of their choosing (Topper, I-Box, T-Rex, whatever).

Mystic Timbers in 30 years. The Racer and The Beast have such rich history at the park and are so celebrated by the park that I doubt they'd get touched. From what I've read and heard, The Racer is not sound enough to receive the treatment anyway because it was built with Douglas Fir and not Southern Yellow Pine. I also believe age has a factor in there as well.

What's beyond out of the box thinking? Because I'd love to see RMC re-imagine Vortex. Maybe with T-Rex track, maybe with Rapor track, or beyond with Topper Track. We know they can make wood coasters something entirely different than they were before but what could they do with a coaster that's currently steel?

Do you have a pulse?

Don't take any sidewalk chalk!!!!!

Agree wholly! Shape the rides to the terrain, not the other way around. It gives everything a more natural feel. Some rides at KI are better at this than others. In some cases, some now defunct rides were awful at this.

One of the things that hooked me on Kings Island many years ago were how they blended rides into the natural terrain of the park. Beast, AE, WWC, Viking Fury, KCKC, Congo Falls (to an extent), etc. That is why I am so impressed and happy with Mystic Timbers. The effort put in to get that ride to feel like it is a part of the landscape was just phenomenal. An awesome nod to the history of Kings Island (not to mention the fantastic way that it also interacts with WWC, the train, etc.). I would guess the park needs the thrilling, reach-to-the-sky coasters and attractions, but I really feel like the real genius of Kings Island is when they can make something feel like it has always been in the spot that it was installed in.

Boo Blasters has the same rotating loading platform as the original Enchanted Voyage the opened in '72 with the park. It's listed as "defunct" above, as that actual attraction is no more, but the building, loading platform, and other parts remain.

Yes, we absolutely are allowed to tell them to show us their camera roll and tell them to delete any on ride videos or photos they have. Unfortunately most people who video now a days do it via snapchat, so there is no deleting it to enforce a consequence of breaking the rules. But I definitely made a preteen delete not only 3 videos taken on our ride, but also videos taken on two other coasters earlier in the day once.

I've ridden both - SoB both with and without the loop. It and Banshee were just completely different rides and experiences that I don't really think they can be compared. Son of Beast was a jaw-dropping structure. Very imposing. I always had a real problem with the queue. It just seemed like such an afterthought to add turnstiles to part of the Top Gun queue. It did not come across as very well thought out, given the significance (both in size and investment) of Son of Beast. The biggest difference, of course is the ability to ride Banshee and still feel like you can enjoy the rest of your day at Kings Island, as opposed to wondering if you should have some x-rays performed at the nearest urgent care center (and I'm only slightly exaggerating).

I mostly agree with what's already been stated. Paramount seemed to just kind of drop things in without much respect to how it fit in. Cedar Fair has done a masterful job of enhancing the area(s) of the park that they install things in (although I've never been a fan of draining Swan Lake for Diamondback, as well as it's placement in the park, but it does blend in about as well as a 200+ feet tall, red, steel rollercoaster can, and they did a great job of integrating it with an existing, original KI building). Cedar Fair has also proven to do a great job with general, small details throughout the park (a great example is the improvements to the Tower Gardens area and its nice integration to the area behind Coney BBQ...has become a very nice area of the park).

I'm a big-time movie nerd, so I loved the Paramount era (I was also in my teens for much of it and was easily impressed by thrills and flash). Some things were really cool: I liked Tomb Raider when it was fully themed. There was a cool laser show they did in the Kings Island Theater themed to Paramount movies. There was actually a purpose to the garden area off the Eiffel Tower instead of just being a sad smoking area. I feel like CF has been kind of a best-of-times/worst-of-times thing (I'm from Detroit, so I only get to go once a year). I think there's been a lot of TLC given to bring more coasters and thrill rides to the park; Diamondback, Banshee and Mystic Timbers are all world-class coasters. But I feel like customer service has taken a dive and the food offerings don't feel as special. But that might also just be 40-year-old me being more particular than 20-year-old me.

We have a few questions answered!! They started with @VortexBFForever questions about Vortex. Thanks to Chad and @DonHelbig! How much does a single Vortex train weigh? 10,880 lbs. How much is its yearly upkeep? Ride maintenance varies from year to year depending on what work needs to be done on the ride, what parts are needed, etc. How many rides did it give in 2017? 863,494 When will get it a new coat of blue and orange paint? You’ll recall that Mike Koontz addressed repainting rides during Coasterstock. Ride needs are all considered and prioritized. Vortex was re-painted this decade What is the record for most rides on Vortex? 1,038 – Don Helbig One day high – 66.