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Honestly a family thrill coaster in the Crypt building plus an update to Boo Blasters in the same season would be a pretty good investment.

We'll use this thread for Winterfest reviews in 2024. We look forward to seeing you enjoy the holiday season at Kings Island.

On November 29th, 2024 Kings Island's WinterFest opens for the 2024 season. Kings Island fans quickly made Winterfest a family tradition once again when Cedar Fair (now Six Flags) reintroduced it in 2017. The excitement continues this year as families prepare to enjoy the park's WinterFest. Why do dedicated fans call the current WinterFest 'WinterFest v3.0'? Let's uncover the story behind this intriguing moniker. WinterFest v1.0 The original Kings Island WinterFest debuted in 1982, a year before the Cincinnati Zoo's "Festival of Lights." Over the years, millions of guests enjoyed this holiday tradition. However, when Paramount Communications acquired the park, they extended the fall operating season, leaving insufficient time to prepare for WinterFest. As a result, the beloved event was discontinued after the 1992 season WinterFest v2.0 On July 25, 2005, Kings Island announced the return of WinterFest after a thirteen-year hiatus. The 2005 WinterFest featured iconic decorations like the Eiffel Tower transformed into a towering Christmas tree and the Royal Fountain converted into an ice skating rink. The Kings Island and Miami Valley Railroad became the White Christmas Express, complete with 1940s-era characters. However, in 2006, Cedar Fair announced the cancellation of this second incarnation of WinterFest. WinterFest v3.0 In the summer of 2016, Kings Island announced the return of WinterFest for the 2017 holiday season. This new version of WinterFest debuted on Friday, November 24, 2017, and is included free for Gold and Platinum pass holders. Today's WinterFest boasts over 5 million dazzling Christmas lights. Let us know in the comments if you attended WF v1.0, 2.0 or now 3.0. KICentral hopes you enjoy the 2024 season of WinterFest and we look forward to seeing you share your memories in trip reports and reviews on the KICentral forums. WinterFest 2024 Reviews: https://kicentral.com/forums/topic/49043-winterfest-2024-reviews/

Remember that Notice of Commencement is for 2024 and 2025 additions and modifications. I think it's very likely that it doesn't include 2026 construction plans at all. For example, with Orion the NOC said 2018, 2019, and 2020 additions and modifications. Now I'm very interested that Ride Entertainment is listed. RE does a lot of work with Gerstlauer and KCL Engineering. An infinity coaster was listed in a recent survey. Obviously an infinity isn't really considered family thrill so the odds are really low for that being the 2026 project, but what if in the very unlikely chance they're just trying to throw us off here and we're getting the infinity coaster after all, but KI just didn't want it to get out? Also looking at Ride Entertainment's portfolio, it looks like they do work with upgrading dark rides. And one of the options in a recent survey was an update to Boo Blasters. However, I don't see how a shooting dark ride is considered family thrill. Unless, maybe the park pulls a 2003 and adds a dark ride update and a thrilling flat ride the same year (ie Scooby and Delirium in 03). https://rideentertainment.com/lagotronics/

Can’t wait! Always my favorite time of year at the park!

That is amazing and thanks for sticking with us all this time. Here is to 20 more years of enjoying and chatting about KI on the KIC forums!

We got an invert right across from an old invert and a new wood coaster in the same area of the park as our most famous wood coaster. So at least those B&M's are in different parts of the park

The last thing I want in the old Bat/Vortex spot is another family type coaster. That spot has been occupied by two of the most iconic coasters KI has ever had. I loved the original Bat. And while Vortex wasn't my overall favorite, to say it fit that spot and was an icon for the park is a vast understatement. It was just stunning to look at on the midway. I feel that a major coaster should always be reserved for that area. KI needs to step up and install a coaster worthy of that spot. I know the season pass numbers and families are key, but so are the millions that love big coasters. I will be so disappointed if it is not the case.

A family coaster in the crypt building OR The Vortex plot is an epic failure. The crypt building needs an intense, inverting flat in there. (If they remove the triangle of light door I'd buy a piece of it in a heartbeat or a piece of Shiva off the wall) That Vortex plot needs the inversion record. Its what it was built for. (Well, actually a suspended coaster that later ended up being demoed and replaced with the inversion record) If they put a family ride in either of these two plots, I'm revoking my pass permanently.

I'll do my favorite per-coaster- Adventure Express- The helix down into the 3rd tunnel Backlot- The s-curves after the helix Banshee- 0g roll and that long drop into the batwing Bat- the fan curve over the station Beast- The helix and the series of drops between the 2nd tunnel and the 2nd lift Diamondback- The hammerhead, especially on the right side of the train on the outer rows Flight of Fear- the launch and the build up to the corkscrew at the end Invertigo- the fact it can pull enough G's to make me grey out and nearly black out every ride Mystic Timbers- the 2nd big drop into the valley, it's still flying and it's a good sustained ejector air moment Orion- the 2nd and 3rd hills with the lateral airtime while also losing sight of the horizon for a bit of disorientation due to the combination of the upward angle and the overbanked elements Racer- the bunny hill between where it splits and the turn around, they always have insane air at that part Defunct rides- Vortex- the first drop in the back of the train SOB- the first drop and loop Firehawk- the overbank hill King Cobra- either the loop or the trick track

And there is precedent for that. Remember, we did get the original Scooby Doo and the Haunted Castle in 2003, the same year that Delirium was added. I think a new flat ride that utilizes The Crypt`s ride building, and uses the existing queue entrance would be a good fit. Give another ride that is in air conditioning and could run during Winterfest. Boo Blasters definitely needs a refresh of some kind.

The drop into and the entire double helix on The Beast. I don't know if it would be an element, but leaving the brake shed on The Beast, building up speed, and going through the second tunnel is great for me. Before entering the tunnel, the train has this shimmy, like The Beast is trying to throw you off of their back. The noise, the smell, and the darkness in the tunnel, and then hearing the noise coming out of the tunnel and during day rides, the blinding brightness.

The double helix on The Beast. What I love about wooden coasters is that each ride feels slightly different from the last!

IMHO, there are probably two or more potential things for 2026 that KI is currently looking at, both family-oriented thrill attractions, one may be a coaster and the other something else. Planning is still on-going and the ink certainly has not dried on the contracts, so the PR is vague in that regard. Either way, it's a bigger thing coming since it made the chain-wide PR (as opposed to a few flat rides or something)

To the Gerstlauer point, I would love to see the Infinity coaster as it checks a ton of boxes. Curb appeal, dive elements that aren't as forced as a B&M dive, inversions, and most importantly for families a 48 inch height requirement. It is a great successor to Vortex in that location. It is also worth noting that Baker Concrete is listed on the NOC and one of the projects they have listed on their website is the footings for Pipeline at SWO.

Great photo!

On a serious note, trying to further decode 2026. I don’t think we will be getting a coaster at all. For one, coaster is omitted from the list of park additions amongst all the parks within the chain: Also Ride Entertainment Systems and Zamperla was listed in the commencement of work. So I’m guessing we’d get a flat thrill ride from their lineup? https://rideentertainment.com/sales-home/ https://www.zamperla.com

Don't say anything in front of Snoopy's Soapbox Racers and Backlot. Parenthood is tough.

Exactly, it would be a waste of money to tear it down if they weren’t going to do something with the land. Unless the structure somehow was deemed unsafe and could fall on The Bat’s track, it’s not going anywhere anytime soon if it’s not needed for something else.

I’m not really a fan of them keeping the train “The 12 Days of Christmas.” Out of all the attractions that Winterfest has to offer, the train has been the most underwhelming- and this is coming from someone who’s always been fond of trains. The park must’ve hear similar feedback because they added more traditional Christmas scenes and different music after The 12 Days of Christmas is wrapped up but I still feel like it could be improved with more elaborate scenes to ride by. The train is always packed though so I’m confident they’d really do anything to change it much further.

I'm sure the Son of Beast station will just sit there until the park needs the land for something. Probably not anytime soon.

I'm not the most religious person.....but I do believe that this show deserves the respect of a seated/captive audience. I loved it at the first location...hated where it was last year and hope this year is better...but not sure I'll make an effort to go see it in this location.

If anything happens, I doubt it'll be announced.

In honor of my 20th anniversary of being on KIC, I'm going to share some graphs from my super nerdy Kings Island trip spreadsheet I created. 64 lifetime trips and counting. Thank you all for all the fun over the years!

Hasn't Koontz said he wants something done with the Crypt Building before retirement. Could we see this be his magnum opus to his family additions . But in seriousness, I do think this could be a possibility. I can see a project that would cost somewhere in the range of a coaster, but not necessarily a coaster. So the crypt box, or I'm on board with a Boo Blasters Retheme...

I have a feeling the crypt building is where we should keep our eyes on. If the park goes with a family thrill coaster, I think the Crypt building is the best spot for it. Imagine a well themed indoor queue line and then a dark ride section pre launch and then launch out into the woods and hug the terrain.

Since Vortex was a 48" coaster, can we assume it was a "Family Thrill"? I guess I am saying we could get a very similar ride to Vortex and be considered a family thrill coaster even at the 48" mark.

Definitely in the camp of not having said family thrill ride in The Vortex plot. That plot should be reserved for something of the same/better caliber coaster. Not saying that a family thrill coaster couldn't be worthy in it's own right, but I think you all know what I mean. Something big, thrilling and something that honors the legacy of Vortex ( and even the original Bat ) should go in that plot. I did see the Intamin family coaster and I find it cool/interesting that the model can include inversions. I will say that I hope it isn't another shuttle type ride like the CGI rendering showed since we already have two. And that is IF we were to receive one of these. Obviously we have no idea what kind of family thrill attraction we are getting since there are many many possibilities and since the announcement was very vague.

I am also in the camp of a family thrill attraction going in to the Boo Blasters on Boo Hill building. I'm pretty sure it's been far longer for something new there as opposed to the old Vortex plot of land. It's entirely possible that 2027, we will receive a coaster in that area.

Nice thread idea and conversation starter! Kings Dominion has done a much better job of retaining their original identities and lands than Kings Island. The park still feels like a Taft Broadcasting park in a lot of ways, which is a very good thing. Best of all, they still play the appropriately-themed music in each land! It continues to baffle me why Kings Island does not...