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In recent years, corporate strategy has intentionally been driving KI and CP in two very different directions. Before Mike took the reins at KI, the push from corporate had been crystal clear: KI is for families; CP is for the thrill junkies. The thinking at the top is that by polarizing the two parks, they maximize profits for each. They’re playing a different game now, one that isn’t necessarily about appeasing the hardcore fanbase but about securing long-term revenue. If you're hoping for KI to get another groundbreaking giga coaster or something to rival Steel Vengeance, you’re not reading the room. That ship sailed before Mike was even hired. They know families with kids are more likely to spend on meals, games, merch, Fast Lane passes, you name it. CP, on the other hand, benefits from the traveling adrenaline-seeking crowd who come for the coasters, and are more likely to drop extra cash on a second or third day at the resort. Sure, you might your buddies on YouTube talking about what's “missing” at the parks, but the real meetings behind closed doors? They're talking about the ROI of adding more Peanuts/DC theming or expanding Soak City. They know exactly whose wallet they're targeting with each investment. I know that’s not the message some of you want to hear, but it’s been the reality of Cedar Fair for close to a decade now. If you’ve got kids, you’re going to love what’s coming to Kings Island. If you’re all about speed and inversions and airtime, your place is at Cedar Point. They’ve carved out the paths for these parks, and they’re sticking to it.

I unfortunately have a habit of only responding to what vaguely reminds me of this, but I will be happy if “Family Thrill attraction” could be referring to a dark ride/themed indoor Crypt replacement or a Phantom Theater reboot, especially considering the terminology “coaster” isn’t used. If this is a small flat ride on the line of Sol Spin, or that Peanuts shooter ride from the surveys, I will be disappointed.

Wishful thinking, but I’m hoping dark ride.

Get those dang flying eagles back from Carowinds and nobody will care about not getting a new coaster. I'd describe a bisch-rocco flying scooter as "family thrill" My question to Mike Koontz is "At what point does Kings Island have enough 'family' orientated rides and attractions?" You could argue that since the addition of Banshee and with the possible exception of Orion, the park has invested in rides that are geared towards kids and families. Sure mystic was great, antique autos was great, and while I enjoyed adventure port and camp Snoopy when is enough enough?

Didn't the current park GM call Orion a family thrill ride lol

That seems to suggest we're going to be looking at another situation like when Cedar Fair acquired the Paramount Parks. Where the newly-acquired parks get the most investments (Canada's Wonderland, Kings Island, Carowinds), while less attention is spent on the older parks (Valleyfair, Dorney, Worlds of Fun)

Maybe something to finally go onto the old Tomb Raider site in Rivertown?

That is what I immediately saw and cringed on….ugh. Even coasters through Mystic Timbers…since then, meh. Agreed with y’all. What happens when the kids of these families get tired of Mystic, Adventure Port, SSBR? What next level thrills do they have to go for outside of aging rides, that becomes their Firehawk and Vortex? Firehawk and Vortex haven’t had worthy replacements in terms of thrill. I mean, I love Orion, however it didn’t replace the thrill factor of Firehawk.

I stand firm that the last good addition KI got was Mystic Timbers (which was also likely the last project Mr. Koontz wasn't involved in the planning for...).

Six Flags Mexico lists, “family thrill boomerang coaster”. It specifically lists the ride as a coaster. Which I suspect means a Vekoma boomerang similar to Soapbox Racers or Good Gravy. That Kings Island does not say coaster, and instead states attraction, immediately sets off alarm bells, that it is not a coaster. Projects change, maybe it’s not actually firmly decided exactly what will be built. But I would not expect a coaster and end up being disappointed.

As a much younger person, I can remember when KI announced The Beast, The Bat and King Cobra. It seemed like they were always trying to be on the forefront regarding new coaster installations back then. I am hoping for an incredible coaster in The Vortex old spot, but this news worries me regarding that.

Unfortunately you are 100% right about that. I don't love it but I have to remind myself that Kings Island is much much better than most of the other parks in the chain despite the obvious holes, shortcomings, and disappointments of not getting a Vortex replacement year after year after year. I can't believe that I wasn't even driving when Vortex closed...it seems like yesterday that it was there but the time that field has been empty feels like an eternity

Six Flags has stated that the launch coaster for 2026 will be "completely new", so it doesn't seem like it's going to be a reimagining.

Really sucks the fun out of announcements when they randomly drop what everyone is getting over a year beforehand.

I don't get how anyone can look at a coaster with a 300ft drop, goes 91mph and a 54" height requirement, then consider it a "family coaster".

I'm gonna go ahead and speculate wildly: I think Magic Mountain will get the first S&S Axis coaster. Unless someone's been developing something in secret and not announcing its availability until after the first one is installed (e.g. B&M Wing Coasters), it's the only standout thing in the industry that comes to mind that hasn't been installed yet, to my knowledge. My money's on Ka getting the TT2 treatment. The real question: Will Zamperla be the ones doing it? Kings Island, I dare y'all to make the 2026 family attraction a top-to-bottom redo of Boo Blasters. Give us Justice League: Battle for Metropolis-style vehicles and a similarly-paced storyline. For the two weeks that all of the effects work, that ride would be AMAZING.

I’m still holding out hope that it’s something like a Big Bear Mountain. My fear is that it’s another B+ “cheap but cheerful” experience like we’ve seen every year since 2019ish (yes, that includes Orion).

Parks not mentioned in the press release are subject to closure

It's a minor thing but the press release has the classic "King's" instead of "Kings" typo. I'm guessing this was written quickly.

Seems that's the case from what I've heard, but it's worth noting that some of the companies on here, like GCI and Zamperla, are holdovers from previous projects.

If you were hoping for something physically big for 2026…. well, I’ve got news for you. https://investors.sixflags.com/news/press-releases/press-release-details/2024/Six-Flags-to-Invest-More-Than-1-Billion-Over-the-Next-Two-Years-to-Enhance-Guest-Experience/default.aspx

Just scanning the Six Flags earning calls transcript and this seemed an interesting question from a person at Citi Bank, "Obviously, if you look at sort of the performance of your stock since the merger closed, it seems like there's been somewhat of a shifting narrative. And in talking to investors, I think that narrative seems to be that you guys were surprised by, A, the lack of investments that had been being made at the Six Flags parks. And then B, that the level of investment that would be required to sort of begin that turnaround was much greater than you originally anticipated." Seems like the Cedar Fair people in charge now think they need to get the legacy Six Flags parks up to par first. Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (FUN) Q3 2024 Earnings Call Transcript | Seeking Alpha

At least it destroys all of our hopes and dreams now instead of being utterly destroyed after a year of anticipation. The bars are really a corporate thing not really his. I don’t think he necessarily wanted them but was more of told to put them there.

I recall some expressing that the park should focus on operating its existing rides before getting a big new coaster. ...someone should tell that to Magic Mountain.

I just think this probably pushes up back to probably 2028-2029 for a major thrill coaster. I think we will start to see additions to parks biannually possibly due to there being so many parks which really sucks due to the fact a lot of our rides are coming to a pretty old age. I think we really need a coaster to replace Vortex soon or else we will lose another major coaster like Vortex and not get a replacement for it. To clarify I mean The Vortex spot will be replaced but they will remove another coaster at the same time.

Except his beloved bars! God knows there will probably be 20 more by the time KI gets an addition that actually gets the turnstiles turning.

Interesting as O’Rourke is listed and they’ve done demo at the park. So is something being removed?

Which tbh isn't necessarily a bad thing imo. I'm fine with going 7+ years in between major thrill coasters as long as the park is still adding something new almost every year. I would be upset if we went 7 years between major thrill coasters and only got one or two new rides in that time frame.

This news is absolutely beyond frustrating. Orion is largely viewed as a let-down. Pretty much everything since then has been utterly weak from a thrill-seeker standpoint. Next year is a water coaster, and not even a good looking one if we're being honest. Now, 2026, the sixth year AFTER Orion, it sure sounds like a family-friendly flat ride. Really!?!? I've tried to stay positive about this merger, but if this is true, I'm giving my passes a break after having them for 20+ years.

I think Orion is plenty thrilling enough but the park hasn't replaced Firehawk in terms of having a ride that unique. Losing Vortex was also a hard blow seeing as we are now short on inversion focused coasters and I'm sad to say I don't think Invertigo is going to survive the decade

Yeah I'm not sure what "family thrill" means in this case... I see other parks getting "record breaking coasters" and so family thrill doesn't translate to Vortex replacement in my mind.

Gotta be quick when you're hoping to beat down criticism for ripping out popular attractions to save money.

I suspect this release is a response to the ride closures. This will also fuel the fires around Kingda Ka being transformed into an LSM coaster, possibly with a longer layout. It least at Kings Island, that sounds like a flat ride of some kind.

Maybe....... just because Cedar Fair is in charge with this merger....... they don't want Ka surpassing Cedar Points TT2. So that way Cedar Point can be the flagship park still. (Besides the maintenance and technical issues the ride has been plauged with) With how Cedar Fair treats the parks, this wouldn't surprise me at all. Keep Cedar Point the king. Just like how KI got Orion that was 287 feet tall because they didn't want it overshadowing Cedar Point. Dang you Cedar Fair. They don't like anyone but Cedar Point. Lol. (Just kidding, but it seems like Cedar Point gets the best additions always while the other parks get "less impressive" additions. )

I really want a MACK Spinner that includes inversions like Time Traveler at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Mo.

Six Flags Investments Some notable items for 2026: Carowinds will introduce a record-breaking water ride Canada’s Wonderland will add a new record-breaking water attraction King's Island will introduce a new family thrill attraction Knott’s Soak City will receive a water park refresh and aesthetic enhancements Six Flags Magic Mountain will debut a first-of-its-kind coaster in North America Six Flags Great America will celebrate its 50th anniversary, debuting a new kids’ area, commemorative events and park enhancements Six Flags Great Adventure will unveil a record-breaking launch coaster Six Flags Over Texas will unleash a record-breaking dive coaster Six Flags Mexico will introduce a family thrill boomerang coaster So, as far as Kingda Ka, I have noticed that there is no mention of the removal of Zumanjaro. Now, that could mean it will still be announced or, it could also mean that it will also be a re-imagining similar to TT2. However, there's no saying that Zamperla would be the one to do so. Other manufacturers presented bids for TT2 as well, including Intamin. My wish is for Intamin to handle it and if successful, being re-considered for future attractions in the chain.

Totally agree here. We got sort of spoiled under Cedar Fair being one of the top 3 flagship parks but with magic mountain and great adventure joining the chain, you can definitely expect us to get less exciting additions in the future. I think that rapterra is going to be the last big thing at Kings Dominion for quite some time as well unfortunately. Yes he definitely did say that and in some ways Orion is more family friendly than other giga coasters (looking at you I-305 ). However, I think it's hard to say that only families benefited from that addition because many thrill seekers do enjoy Orion even if it wasn't a clone of Fury 325 In all reality isn't millennium Force actually the "family giga" because it's the only one with a 48" height requirement?

I guess I don’t consider Orion having the thrill factor because of how Mr. Koontz talked it up for being something families can ride together.

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Isn't it sad that the level of trust is so eroded that you have to send an email asking this....

Just received confirmation that Prestige Passholders will be able to use our one time use Fastlane at Winterfest.

You know what fits a bill for a family thrill attraction? A Vekoma Madhouse.

I personally think the antique autos was really solid but we all know Orion was a project we took from CGA and that adventure port was last minute and camp Snoopy while fun, just didn't deliver how most people had hoped it would.

Well, the definition could be in what Six Flags Mexico is getting. If that ends up being a new super boomerang, I'll be pretty excited for 2026, if it ends up being a family boomerang... Eek. I'm not totally against another family-thrill coaster, but KI's lineup is full of them, and we just got SSBR. Which, imo, is more kiddie-family.

Not going to lie I am super devastated waking up to this news this morning. I guess we always have 2027. I guess it does help stop the anticipation for getting something nice in 2026 which will help to curve speculation.

Scene75 type attraction in the KillMart building

A special event in the spring months (April and May) like the Peanuts Celebration or an expanded Food & Wine Festival would be a nice kickoff to the season before the summertime live entertainment lineup starts.

Literally right! I prefer a standup over a floorless but even if they move green lantern to another park and convert it to a floorless it's still better than scrapping it. There ride isn't that old. Heck if they moved iron wolf and it's still beating the crap out of people at six flags America, they by golly had better let green lantern live on at another park where people would be really happy to ride it. Imagine how much people would love it if it went to one of the smaller six flags or if it went to valleyfair? People at those parks would value that ride much more. It's not that green lantern is a bad ride but it faces a similar situation that Mantis at CP did which was that it's one coaster in a sea of other good coasters and it just so happens to be more uncomfortable than some of the others so the ridership is lower and the complaints are higher. (I personally never thought it was uncomfortable but I have an amazing track record with stand-ups) My point being please six flags don't scrap it but let it live on and delight some guests at a smaller park who would be thrilled to have it in their lineup.

The 50ft observation deck on the Eiffel Tower is, in my opinion, prime real-estate for a VIP Lounge. It’s a unique spot that only a few get to venture to and the prestige patrons can remain subjected to the elements.