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Here are a few photos of the track being fabricated for Phantom Theater..... Now the question is ask.... Can it be considered a coaster?

Permits have been submitted, a Master Blaster water slide and Kiddie Pool upgrades are coming. https://www.whitewaterwest.com/en/products/water-slides/blasters/master-blaster/

A chain with a history of financial troubles marrying a chain that had financial troubles on the horizon... Solution: let's make the Titanic bigger; what could possibly go wrong?

If they are going to do a water park addition for '25, it would be a good opportunity to rebrand it to something more fitting to the area instead of something generic like Soak City or hurricane harbor. But without a total redo, like the 30million redo of the water park at CGA, it likely will remain a generic wasteland of concrete, plastic, germs, human grease and cellulite.

How I imagine some of y'all would prefer to go to Kings Island:

The merger will result in cost conscious thinking, so I doubt this is even on their radar. If anyone would be looking at if any adjustments are necessary, it would be the manufacturer of the ride B&M. But even then, unless you install metal detectors at the rides to prevent any loose articles, including those in zipper pockets, from being on the ride like some other rides do, lockers and bins wouldn't have prevented this as people would feel they can secure the item or afraid someone would steal it from a bin or locker. At the end of the day, if someone is motivated enough, no barrier would stop them. Do you want an amusement park and ride areas to look like a jail? Inmates escape from jails, so additional fencing and razor wire and whatever else jails do wouldn't be the answer. A fence/wall is universally accepted as being a barrier that shouldn't be crossed.

Stopped by last evening for my first visit of the year. An afternoon storm cleared out some of the crowd and left us with sub 20 minute waits for everything. Enjoyed my front and back seat rides on Banshee, front in Racer, back on Orion, back on Snoopy Soap Box, back on Mystic and Beast, the train for a nice break, and a long awaited Smurf(blue) cone. Got to watch my son working at his coaster like a boss, and finished with the fireworks and drone show. My first coaster rides since going on some very tough meds, and I felt great!

June 18-21 I spent in Minneapolis with a friend I made at the ACE Spring Conference at KI this spring. He lives up there and wanted to show me his home park Nick U and Valleyfair which is nearby. Due to my flight being cancelled and rescheduled for a day later, I got to also go to Adventureland in Des Moines. Nick U: for an indoor park this one really delivered! Good collection of flats and the coasters weren't bad for being cramped into the mall. SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge was a decent euro fighter but it seemed a bit shaky to me. I really enjoyed the length of the Pepsi Orange Streak and the views it provided. The fairly Odd coaster was probably my favorite as it ran smoothly and gave us some really good spins! Avatar the last Airbender was a cool concept but the spinning mechanism wasn't working 100%. We also managed to snag the kiddy coaster credit. There was a new op who struggled to stop the ride so we went around plenty of extra times. The star attraction is by far the log chute which is my second favorite log ride after the original splash mountain at Disneyworld. Valleyfair: Comparable to Dorney Park but slightly worse. Still a fun afternoon of coasters and flats. Started the day with Mad Mouse which was my first arrow mouse. Was definitely a bit more aggressive and rough than I was expecting but I did enjoy it's wonky transitions. Next was Renegade which honestly was just ok. It seemed rougher than Mystic Timbers and didn't have quite as good airtime. Did manage to get a front row ride though which was pretty cool. We then took a pit stop at wheel of fortune which was my first time being on a chance trabaunt since I was a kid at Coney Island. All parks should have a trabaunt! I loved that ride as a kid and this brought back so many memories. I love the way they run forward and backwards and waltz around their concrete pads. The next coaster was Wild Thing which was slightly less inspiring than Steel Force at Dorney Park but it's still a great ride and a fun hyper. The mid course was hitting a bit hard so if you were in the front of the train you didn't get any airtime on the final bunny hills. However, in the back there was some nice smooth floater. Definitely my number one coaster in the park. It was at that moment we noticed Excalibur testing so we made the second train of the day. Such a short ride but boy is it action packed! Got front row and back row rides and it's my solid #2 in the park. There's really no other coaster quite like it with its speedy low to the ground turns and crazy airtime hill mid ride. It wasn't particularly smooth but also never painful. While in the back of the park, we rode thunder canyon which was a cool refreshing journey though the forest. I managed to miss all th waterfalls...others were not so fortunate. High Roller was up next and it was very underwhelming. Probably the biggest disappointment of my trip due to the excessive trimming which took away any chance for airtime and made the coaster feel like it would valley at any moment. I'd like to see a gravity group refurb and the removal of some of those trims. Corkscrew was the coaster I most feared at the park but it was amazingly smooth during my ride. Very enjoyable classic arrow. A surprise ride at the park was Cosmic Coaster which was pretty fun considering its size and speed. Nice little helix layout. Those trains are dynamite though! We rode the flying eagles which were nothing special, supercat which looked old as dirt but delivered an enjoyable ride, and the monster which definitely runs faster than ours and provided us with much more spinning action. Final coaster was Steel Venom. The holding break is very jarring but I'm glad VF keeps it operational. Intense coaster with a unique element! Adventureland: After a 3 hour drive, we arrived at Adventureland and immediately hit up the Underground. Such a unique indoor coaster/dark ride. It reminded me of a better version of black diamond at Knoebels. Next was monster which is by far the best euro fighter I've ridden. Such great speed and hang time! The Pheonix was a good spinning coaster but while I was in line I got super hot and sick so I got to take a trip to first aid for most of the afternoon. The first aid staff was very kind and helpful. Turned out my blood sugar was off which had made me feel nauseous and weak. After lunch, we rode outlaw run which was running very smoothly for a CCI. Also got on the tornado which was a wonderful out-n-back woodie. I insisted on riding the teacups before leaving seeing as the PTC crazy daisy rides are a rarity these days. I thought the one at Knoebels spins slightly faster but the Adventureland one was quite enjoyable. The train ride was a fun way to end the day before the return drive to Minneapolis.

Hello! Since Phantom Theater Encore, I have been collection as much photos and footage of the Phantom Theater attraction as I can. I currently have a collection of 300+ photos and several audio/video files. (If curious, I share what I can on this YouTube account: https://youtube.com/@phantomtheaterarchives2052?si=UIXhaYLS-9n05Z12). I’m wondering if anyone on this forum would have any photography or videography of the attraction that they may have taken (whether it be of the attraction itself, haunt displays, or anything else). A current main searching point for me currently is audio files for the queue, either the turntable or full Maestro audio (~10 minutes of maestro’s is posted to YouTube but it was likely closer to 30-60 minutes). I also haven’t been able to find the video or audio for the talking portrait projections, but I believe those to be completely lost after speaking to the creator. Anything shared would be greatly appreciated! If anyone else is looking for something specific from the attraction as well, I can see if I have it. Thanks!

So was the pulled pork at Coney Bar B Que.

Does this count as back to back coaster additions?

The brisket was good today.

Standing at the Kings Island security, I felt a pang of something bittersweet. This was it, my last hurrah before the park became associated with Six Flags. The coasters rattled in the distance, the familiar roar a comforting rumble against the undercurrent of worry churning in my stomach. The day was a whirlwind of nostalgic thrills. I screamed through the inversions on Banshee, relishing the white-knuckled drops and the wind whipping through my remaining hair. I indulged in the sugary sweetness of a blue ice cream, the cold, gooey goodness a perfect counterpoint to the humid summer air. And I was captivated by the mesmerizing dance of colors in the bubble show, even though I wish the Maestro and company were still present, while Hilda Bovine's musical talent echoed in my memories. It is over, Hilda. You've sang. The people in C-suite mentioned the scariest thing. A shadow lingered beneath the surface of the fun. Kings Island, a place woven into the fabric of my summer memories, felt like a patient entering hospice care. The park that once pulsed with youthful exuberance now exuded a sense of uncertainty. Six Flags loomed on the horizon, an enigma wrapped in a coat of roller coasters. Would it usher in a new era of exhilarating rides and dazzling spectacles? Or would it erase the park's quirky charm, turning it into a generic theme park indistinguishable from its brethren? As I left, I stole one last glance back, a silent plea escaping my lips. Please, Kings Island, let your transformation be a paradise, not a purgatory. The park's future hung in the balance, and only time would tell if the metamorphosis would be a glorious ascension or a soul-crushing descent.

Please no, just let the water park have its own unique branding. The Hurricane Harbor brand isn’t strong or notable.

Nonsense! TT2 lasted 5 days too!

Again, it's a fool's errand to try and make something "foolproof". Sometimes there isn't anything that can practically be done, and that's ok. And sometimes trying to protect guests can actually backfire, such as the case with Raptor's air gates - a (poorly conceived) device intended to protect guests - causing a guest injury. Wait, how many such incidents have occurred? I'm only aware of a few, going as far back as Flight Deck in '98. From a purely practical standpoint the sum total cost of lawsuits for any given operator would have to be more costly than the additional steel (and foundations, etc.) required to build their coasters higher, and steel is not cheap. Given the voluntary nature of these incidents, I don't imagine settlements are costly. The woman who, through no fault of her own, is now disabled thanks to the mishap at TTD rightfully got a big payout. The idiot who ignored multiple park employees, broke posted rules, climbed multiple barriers, purposely disobeying several "DANGER" signs along the way? Not so much. Well, there's ASTM, to which, in Ohio at least, adherence is required to obtain a permit, as I understand it. Though I don't know if ASTM's purview extends to low zones, LOTO, etc. But a standard does exist already.

I unfortunately haven't made it out there yet (a Missouri parks trip is on my to do list), but the wording of the statement from the announcement makes it sound like it was a financial decision - they weren't making enough money or were losing money on the event and decided they could put that money to better use somewhere else. A quick glance at the Visit KC website shows that there's a lot to do in the area during the holidays so maybe they had too much competition from other events as well.

Wish I was there with you, but not in town right now. Gonna visit another few Arrows in St. Louis tomorrow. Make sure you send me pictures of your milestone!

It isnt the weather, their weather isnt much different than south central Indiana and/or the KI area. Your statement from 2021 is absolutely correct, and CF knows it WONT get the ROI from that park, I promise you I know this because I considered it my home park from 95 when I started all of this park jazz, until 2006 when we moved to Indiana. I then went back ONCE in 2011 for the disaster opening day, then again last year and oooohhhhhh how things have changed. It would have worked back in the early-mid 2000s, it wont work now, which was proven when they tried.

Probably. Cedar Fair already does with their XDS team (eXperience Design and creative Studio). Nowhere near as big as WDI, but it exists, and it has grown already in the past couple of years.

I’m curious to see if given how big this merger is, that would the new SIX company end up having its own engineering / design team? Similar to Universal Creative, or Walt Disney Imagineering.

3 years have gone by and I’m still curious as to why it shut down. I know nothing about what the weather does in Kansas City during the winter but I always assumed conditions fluctuated just like us so I don’t know how much weather played a factor in the event’s demise. Looking at the map, most of their coasters were closed; which makes sense. The one thing that confuses me a little is why they chose to close down their train ride. Most holiday events that feature a train ride are pretty popular: Winterfest, the Zoo’s Festival of Lights, Busch Gardens, Dollywood, etc. I’m not saying not running the train was a defining factor, but it helps- maybe it was a maintenance thing. Another possibility is staffing issues but I don’t really know if thats a reasonable thought considering they’re able to staff both an amusement park and waterpark during the busy summer months. Whatever the reason, it’s a shame it got shut down. I felt like the one thing WoF had going for it was its size. It’s not nearly as big as Kings Island so they could really pack the park full of lights and decorations.

That’s a bit of an overreaction. A lot themed rides involve that type of verbiage. On Adventure Express, you’re distributing the ancient ruins On Mystic Timbers you hot-wire an old truck and there’s a shed full of sketchy stuff that they’re trying to warn you not to go in One of the signs on Diamondback says “do not disturb” On Boo Blasters you are told you are trespassing During Phantom Theater, one of the lines was “you’ve defiled our world, now escape if you can” On Hagrid’s motorbike ride, you’re literally going into the Forbidden Forest On Tomb Raider The Ride, you’re disturbing an ancient temple On Big Grizzly Mountain at Hong Kong Disneyland, you get switched from tunnel 8 to tunnel 4.(8 being symbol for good luck in Chinese culture and 4 being a symbol of death) In Mystery Mine you’re entering an abandoned mineshaft and warned subtly that you’ll die Verbolten is a play on words the word Verboten which is translation for Forbidden in the German language. Cobra’s Curse is centered around people entering an area at the threat of being cursed I could go on When you’re riding these rides, the overall message is F*ck Around and Find Out-it’s part of the theme, fun, and thrill. Someone carelessly disregarding park rules and common sense by hopping a fence isn’t cause to call into question the verbiage of other rides.

I'm not being argumentative, I'm asking the question - how does B&M have any responsibility for keeping guests out of low zones? My understanding - possibly wrong! - is that B&M delivers the roller coaster itself, along with instructions on how to assemble it, and with various requirements specified, etc., one of which would be to identify low zones. But do they also specify, for example, the type of fence to be used? The signage? The color? I would think all of that would be covered under local ordinances. That locally-approved fence designs are incorporated into site plans doesn't, to me, imply any assumed responsibility on B&M's part. I could be wrong, but I am looking for more than a "because I think that's the way it is" as evidence. Also, I know that CF is self-insured (what was that you were saying about splitting hairs to be argumentative? pot, meet kettle, etc.). That's why I said the underwriters would be the entity that would advise CF on whether or not their existing low zone security is adequate. That CF has underwriters to answer to would also be another reason that B&M would not be involved in specifying what type of fencing to use or whatever. But whatever, my comment was only that I would be surprised if B&M has any involvement whatsoever in an incident that was not in any way a result of their product's failure.

I think Cedar Fair started doing Six Flags practice last year with reduced staffing, dirtier midways and continued forward to this year with shorter hours, reduced operating days, Sysco "hand breaded" tenders and vastly reduced entertainment options!

In honor of that, CF parks will adopt SIX operating hours, parks will be closed on Tuesdays, and meal plans are not valid after labor day (I joke, but who knows what the merger will bring as the two chains decide to adopt each others "best practices")

I’m briefly emerging from my lurking to inform you that my 2000th Bat ride is fast approaching! I plan to take it tomorrow afternoon/evening depending on how many I can get later today between the rain showers and storms. If you’re at the park tomorrow, come celebrate with me! The exact timing will largely depend on how close I get after work today…

Get your Cedar Fair visits in this week. Next week the two Ohio parks will be part of Six Flags Entertainment Corporation! https://www.stocktitan.net/news/FUN/cedar-fair-and-six-flags-announce-the-satisfaction-of-regulatory-lrtrgbwzcksl.html

As Douglas Adams said, "a common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools."

Hello everyone! Welcome to yet another Kings Island trip report from McSalsa. I rode quite a bit of stuff yesterday, but I will try to make this manageable. This will be sorted into 3 sections: Ride Reviews, Food Reviews, and Misc (everything that doesn't fall into the first two categorgies basically). Will be sorted by order I when I did/rode things, and re-rides will be described in the same order...mostly. THE RIDES Orion (x2) Orion was my first ride of the day- I wanted to hit FOF first but it was already a big wait, and Orion was a near walk-on instead. As I neared the station, I realized I forgot my glasses strap back in the car, so my glasses when in my zipper pocket and I rode "Blurry" Orion. I could still see enough to tell what was going on, and I got some nice forces for a early morning ride. I rode again later on and the ride had picked up some more speed, and I had bought a new glasses trap by then as well (they are cheap in park). Both rides were great, as I have come to expect from Orion. NEW RIDE ALERT: Snoopy's Soap Box Racers (x2) I have finally added to my coaster count (now at 38) for the first time in 3 years! Woohoo! Snoopy's Soap Box Racers is a great addition to Kings Island. It packs more punch than I was expecting, especially in terms of postive G's. The first drop has good anticipation to it, with how it holds you 70 feet in the air, a little bit like a dive coaster. Going backwards is a pretty fun sensation too. I do wish they had planted some trees in Camp Snoopy, but the ride itself is great. Oh, and I rode from the last and 2nd to last cars both times, and my nephew I rode with on my first ride freaking loved it. Diamondback (x4) 4 Rides on Diamondback!?!? Well, that is because the ride crew was KILLING IT yesterday, keeping the line at 10 minutes or less basically all day- early on when crowds weren't bad yet, they were hitting 30 and 40 second dispatches (I saw a few times where the train ahead had not even hit the MCBR and there was one halfway up the lift!). And with Diamondback's great airtime and short waits, I could not resist. I rode near the front, in the middle, and twice in or near the back. The back is still the way to go, though the 2nd hill might have been a bit better in front actually. On 3 of the 4 rides, save the middle one, I got airtime that lasted what felt like 5+ seconds on a few hills. Lots of fun was had on Diamondback yesterday. Mystic Timbers (x2) Got in two rides here- one early in the day near the middle, and a second later on in the back row. Middle ride was good, but the back seat ride happened just as the ride re-opened after a brief rain shower and...WOW. That was a contender for the best ride I have ever gotten on Mystic Timbers! The ride was hauling and throwing me around like crazy! I think the hot temperatures and rain truly unleashed the wooden coasters yesterday, Mystic being no exception. I got "Cars" as my song both times, and Bats and Snakes in the shed. The Beast (1st Ride) I also got two rides on The Beast, my favorite Kings Island coaster. The first ride I was on a wheel seat and it was a bit rough, nothing unbearable (2020 or 2021 rides in same seat probably would have been agony) but it did pop my back- it hurt for a few minutes, then felt great oddly the rest of the day. Still a fun ride though. Later in the evening, I... (TO BE CONTINUED...DA DA DUM!) Backlot Stunt Coaster (x1) Didn't get to ride this last time due to a breakdown and huge line, but got it yesterday. I got front row, and got some decent forces and nice views. I did find I actually like Snoopy's Soap Box Racers a bit better though. Flight of Fear (x1) After snagging my 2nd Orion ride, I saw FOF re-open after a breakdown so I tried to snag a quick ride, but ended up still waiting 25 minutes (longest all day) because the capacity is poo. The ride itself is way better than it's capacity though, a little rough and the trains are odd but great intensity and forcefulness. It was worth the wait. The Racer (x1 Red, x1 Blue) With no real wait, I snagged rides on both Racers. I am still so happy they removed the stinkin' trim brakes! I rode Red Racer from 5-2, and Blue Racer from 1-2. Both rides were crazy smooth for wooden coasters, both had good airtime, and I won both times. Win-win-win! Adventure Express (x1) In spite of riding on a wheel, this was a very smooth ride, oddly. Usually that isn't the case on wheel seats. All of the theming, music and effects were working and the ride was a walk-on. Fun ride, but I need to speak to the station master. He needs fired, badly. I keep trying to go on the scenic jungle route, and he keeps sending me on the city of stone route! UGH! WHO KEEPS LETTING HIM RUN THE Adventure Express!?!? Grand Carousel (x1) I rode this one with our main group. Sat on a non-moving horse because I had just eaten a huge burrito at Enrique's- review of that later. A nice relaxing ride as usual. Banshee (x3) Oh boy. Recent events have made this coaster get some extra attention- though the line was always very short hence why I got 3 rides in. Anyway, I'll focus on the ride itself and not the recent tragedy. Banshee was running really smooth, though the vest was a bit tight on my 3rd and final ride. The g forces were great, and I rode 3 times in basically the same hour because the line was moving so well. More good rides on the world's longest inverted coaster. The Bat (x1) After the 100 billion mile hike, I also rode The Bat. No wait, and I had a fun time swinging among the tree tops. The "river" below the ride was pretty full due to the rain. This ride may be a semi-clone of Vortex @ Canada's Wonderland, but it makes great use of the terrain. Delirium (x1) While in Action Zone, I also got a ride on Delirium, my first of 2024. I enjoy the spinning and swinging of this ride, and it too had a short wait time- Sundays when there is a chance of rain all day seem to be great days at Kings Island. A question hit me when riding this though. I have heard Youtuber Ryan the Ride Mechanic say, the Zamperla Giant Discovery has a 20 year lifespan, then Zamperla strongly requests you remove the ride due to fatigue. HUSS Giant Frisbees are similar to those...and Delirium is now 21. How much longer does Delirium have left? Woodstock Express (x1) I got my 3rd ride ever in on the former Beastie kids wooden coaster, once again riding with my nephew and his father. This was after the rainstorm, and like Mystic Timbers, even Woodstock Express felt like it had gotten a speed boost from it. I got a little airtime and some strong forces for a kids coaster here. A great ride for kids in spite of being 52. The Beast (2nd Ride) OK, here is why I said I wouldn't group EVERYTHING together...my 2nd and final ride on The Beast, also my last ride of the day. I bought a Fast Lane for $12 so I could get on and off fairly quickly to catch the fireworks with my group at the end of the day. I do enjoy having that option this year. This one will be a bit longer, as I want to go into some details. May 16th, 2009: A 19 year old McSalsa (me) arrives at Kings Island for the 2nd time. I was afraid of roller coasters ever since my last trip to Kings Island in 2000, when The Racer scared me as a kid. 9 years later, I had returned to conquer that fear, and I had selected The Beast due to seeing the fact it mostly stayed near the ground. I boarded the train with my mother (she passed away in 2019 due to a heart attack) and we departed. I got a bit nervous as we climbed the lift hill, but once the train plunged into the tunnel- the fear evaporated. This wasn't scary. This was fun! The double helix did get me a little, but a love of roller coasters had been born that day. Ride #2- my first night ride, that same day- further sealed this. 15 years have passed, and once again I board The Beast- now for the 50th time. I sit in 5-2, and the train departs. It is not 100% dark but it isn't daytime either. Once again, the train climbs the lift hill and plunges into the same tunnel. The drop is a bit different- The Beast and I have both changed a bit in the 15 years- but the general effect is the same. Pitch black tunnel, hard turn, drop into ravine. Fun stuff. Turn, into the endless brake tunnel. Trim brakes of sadness. Turn, train bounces a bit during turn, I have grown to enjoy this "bounce" so I giggle a bit. We dive into the endlessly long midcourse tunnel, I look to the right to see trees and the forest THROUGH the tunnel wall's cracks. (Seriously try this if you can, day or night, it looks awesome). Exit the tunnel, and enjoy several turns deep in the woods. Two "eyes" stare at us ahead, and we begin to climb the 2nd lift. I have a huge grin on my face already. Enjoy the best view of the entire park. Turn left. Begin to drop into a tiny hole. Trim brakes attempt to stop us. Trim brakes fail to do so. Faster. Faster. FASTER. FASTER! FASTER! FASTER! WHEN ARE WE GONNA... The tunnel hits. The Beast roars. The car shakes violently in pitch black darkness. I am laughing like mad. We get a second to breathe, then it happens again. Utter chaos in darkness. This is the best moment on any coaster I have ever experienced. Then, The Beast decides to let us all live and releases us back to the station, same as it did 15 years ago. Ride #50 on The Beast, conquered. I get off, to go rejoin my group, and wonder when ride #100 is coming. I don't get to visit Kings Island nearly as much as I would like, so I will probably never challenge things like Carl Eichelman's 4000+ rides. But I absolutely understand why people love The Beast. The coaster that helped me overcome my fears. A true legend. Thanks for the 50 great rides (some not as good, some extra good- this one was the latter). And here's to plenty more rides on a true legend of a roller coaster. FOOD REVIEWS Coney BBQ I forgot to eat breakfast before coming to the park, so I ate pretty much after my first ride on Orion. There was zero wait because of this, so good idea I guess. This was my first time properly eating at Coney BBQ after trying some of the sides last time- this place is great. I got the rotisserie chicken meal, and the chicken was delicious, I also tried the Carolina mustard as a dip. It was so good, I "drank" the leftovers when I ran out of chicken. I also tried the spiral mac n' cheese, it was delicious and creamy. My one complaint would be the hush puppy- it was still good, but a bit overcooked and crispier than needed. A 9.5/10 meal, only due to the Hush Puppy. Enrique's I ate here after riding the nearby Adventure Express, around 3pm. I got a big chicken burrito and filled it with my choice of toppings. It was freaking delicious, maybe a little messy near the end but that is true for any good burrito. Service was fast too. Probably my favorite meal of the day. Pigpen's Mess Hall This was my "dinner" around 7pm. I got a Hot Dog with cheese and bacon, and the Ranch Potato Salad. The Hot Dog was huge and delicious, and the Potato Salad was great- though I needed to grasp for a second it was not like Kroger Potato Salad I am so used to. Pigpen's tasted like actual potatoes. This was also a bit slower because a few people ahead of me seemed to be confused and held up the short line. Once they passed though everything sped up. Another thumbs up from me! Festhaus I didn't really "eat" much here, more like I got chicken fingers for my nephews. I did try one and a few fries though- the chicken finger I had tasted fine, the fries were meh though. Weakest of all the meals I had, though it was stiff competition today. Kings Island has been very good for food in 2024 so far. OTHER STUFF (AKA MISC) I watched one of my nephews and his dad ride Xtreme Skyflyer. I can't believe that a kid can ride that, and not The Racer! They both loved it, I could see the kid's smile from 150 feet up it was so big! We also ended the day with the "Under the Stars" Fireworks and Drone Show. It was epic. If I had one complaint, it would be that there is almost TOO MUCH here- I was focused on the drones mainly and thus missed a few of the laser effects, etc. It's awesome though, and worth a few rewatches. Ride operations were amazing. Diamondback would be my pick for best crew this year, but Orion, Banshee and Mystic Timbers were also kicking butt. Beast too though that ride naturally takes a minute to load/unload. Food was also quite fast, I never had to wait too long for any of my 4 meals. It wasn't PERFECT though: I have some small complaints. The budget cuts kinda showed up- Racer wasn't racing until around noon, and some shops opened late. By the afternoon everything was open though. They also had some trouble keeping up with the bathrooms- I saw some nasty yesterday. The main part of the park was spotless though. Ride reliability was pretty good- weather took everything down around 5-6pm, but most rides reopened quickly, save Drop Tower and WindSeeker. Invertigo and the Eiffel Tower seemed to have some issues all day, though. Kinda bummed about the Eiffel Tower, I wanted to go up and look around. And that's my trip report! Questions and comments welcome. I will try and attach some photos- I got some good ones, I think. Thank you guys and MCSALSA AWAY!!!

When they get cut up on the razor wire, they'll sue about that. And another expert will be on TV saying Kings Island shouldn't use razor wire.

ICEE's are coming to the Diamondback refill station!

On my way home from another awesome day at Kings Island. I got my 50th ride on The Beast (it was amazing), rode tons of stuff including Soap Box Racers, and ate some great food. I will post a full trip report later probably.

No. He's already been confirmed as passed. His aunt along with his cousin both confirmed on FB

And per the article I (and yes, others) linked above, Cedar Point exceeded state and industry standards with regards to what is needed (signage, fence heights, etc.), which is why nothing needed changed with regards to Raptor. I would assume (because, Cedar Fair) Kings Island also falls into the "above and beyond" category.

Very sad news with this situation. https://kicentral.com/forums/topic/48403-man-struck-by-banshee-passes-away/

I hope the injured guest makes it. I also hope those who had to witness/ be part of the accident are not crazy traumatized. That being said, so many people just want to buck the rules because "they can't tell me what to do" or "I'm better than that". It has become a plague on society. People just cannot police themselves anymore. I'm to the point that every ride should require all loose items be put in lockers. Larger/ more popular rides should have metal detectors near the ride platform. If you are found with loose items, you need to get out of line, put your items away & wait again from the end. Yes, it's drastic but nothing else is working with guests. Now....the cost. Parks need to have "moveable lockers" for a nominal fee ($5-$10?) and using a personal code can access any locker from any ride. Make the lockers large enough for purses, stuffed animals, medical bags, etc. Groups/ families can all share a locker. I know there are tons of logistics involved & that I'm completely dumbing it down but until something changes, these accidents (not only a guest jumping a fence) but accidents of phones flying through the air, rides being stopped because a guest has a phone out, and guests losing items like keys & wallets etc. are only going to continue. The cost for the park will be substantial, but the cost of bad media (let's face it, more than 50% of those that saw the headline only read "Man Struck By Rollercoaster at Kings Island and believe KI is unsafe), the cost of settling out of court is not cheap either. Also- if the injured guest survives, wait till the media & public fallout when he is charged with trespassing. The family of the guest will likely sue KI and the best defense is- he trespassed.

I agree that free lockers would be a step in the right direction. However, the real issue comes with people actually using them. Unfortunately, the same mindset that allows a person to think it's okay to bypass several security barriers because they don't believe it will happen to them is the exact same mindset that keeps the same person from using a free locker to secure their belongings. Unless they mandate empty (or zippered) pockets, the free lockers won't fix the issue by themselves.

This is truly a sad event. I just cannot wrap my head around thinking it's ok to climb over fencing with obvious warning signs and a coaster train traveling almost 70mph, to find your keys that were lost while riding. I always have worn zip pocket pants/shorts when I go to any amusement park since lost my wallet once at KI (very luckily I found it in the following train). Learned a lesson that day a long time ago. Secure everything in a zipper pocket when riding and check that everything is zipped up right before getting on a ride. I have seen a couple of horrible accidents, and I witnessed a truly tragic loss of a very young life when I was a teenager in my neighborhood when a little girl got hit by a car. It is an indescribable event and truly horrific. The lady that hit the girl was beyond grief, shock and heartbreaking emotions you rarely see. There was no time for her to react since the girl ran right out in front of her. Me and my friends were in complete shock. Even the first responders were hit hard by what happened. It is a rough story to read I know. But, my point is, once you witness something like that, it will always be there in your mind. So, I feel for the employees, riders, first responders or anyone there having to live through something of that magnitude. It stays with you forever. I truly hope the man who is fighting for his life survives and recovers as best he can. One lapse of judgement, so hopefully he pulls through. Those warning signs are there for a reason, but like the employee in the interview said...if someone wants to really get back there, there is no stopping them. People seem to think sometimes they can break rules, oblivious to the danger to themselves for things that just can wait and not worth being critically injured or killed over.

https://local12.com/news/local/we-hit-something-kings-island-employee-talks-about-roller-coaster-hitting-guest-rollercoaster-ride-mason-warren-county-amusement-park-accident-wreck-restricted-area-injured-hospitalized-speed-Banshee-diamonback-the-beast-cedar-point-coaster-investigation Prayers go out to the front row passengers who sustained injuries during the incident. Thankfully it doesn't sound like any life altering injuries among the passengers but I'm sure there's also some emotional trauma attached to knowing what happened.

My prediction is a clone of Moosehorn Falls currently under construction at Canada's Wonderland. I honestly believe that CF will probably buy that type of slide in bulk and put them in multiple parks similar to what CF did with the drop slide complexes in the 2010s.

I think the easiest re-theme would be The Bat turning into something Batman related, which I wouldn't mind. Perhaps the tunnel with the American Flag, can turn into The Bat Cave and Batman theme in the que, that I actually wouldn't mind, I'd say leave Banshee alone that theming is perfect. Invertigo can be turned into a Two Face (Batman) themed ride. And Delirum I can see it turning into some Green Lantern themed ride. But these are just my ideas...

Six Flags was once owned by Warner Bros., so they're allowed to use the license as long as they want. In addition, Warner is closely involved with the rides.

Honestly, the more I think about it the more open I am to a retheme to Gotham City or especially Arkham Asylum. The Bat: half the villains in Arkham call Batman "The Bat" Banshee: doesn't completely fit but its close enough Delirium: fits already with Arkham Invertigo: Honestly, I always kind of liked Two-Face: the Flip Side as a name and its no longer in use. Is anyone actually attached to the name Invertigo? Its not even the original name. Two-Face certainly beats theming it to a movie no one saw. Drop Tower: Not sure but pretty much any name is better than "Drop Tower." Congo Falls: eh...don't really care what happens to that one

Cedar Fair did not include WoF as getting Winterfest in their chain-wide 2022 update last week, nor is it showing up as a benefit for the 2022 season pass sale. From the press release: "And as the weather turns colder, WinterFest will return to Carowinds, California’s Great America, Kings Dominion, Canada’s Wonderland and Kings Island."

Have they said it was permanently canceled? I saw back in March that they said they were canceling it for this season. I kind of just assumed that it was a one time thing. The GM at Worlds of Fun is a former KI operations manager. If it is a permanent cancelation, it does kind of run counter intuitive to what Cedar Fair has been doing to try and expand the season (makes me wonder if this is just a one off cancelation). If it is permanent, I bet the decorations they had will be redistributed to the other parks in the chain. Having visited Worlds of Fun before, the park is nice. It has a slightly weird layout to it. Prowler is kind of back off by itself. It is much a much smaller park than KI. When we went, I think we were done with everything we wanted to ride by about 4. The longest wait of the day was for Spinning Dragons. That park could definitely benefit from a new coaster at some point. Although, the same could be said for Dorney, Valleyfair, and Michigan`s Adventure.