Hawaiian Coasters 325

I'd prefer they leave laser tag arenas to laser tag venues around town (ie Main Event) However if I were running the park and was required to install a laser tag arena, I would put it in Area 72 in probably the Chaos building and give it an alien/paranormal activity theme.

I feel like they had one years ago in the building that was demolished for Coney BBQ.

As much as I love the year a new coaster opens, it's probably more fun the season before when construction is going on. 2019 was such a fun season with the construction of what became Orion with the updates from the tower and the teaser campaign. It probably would've been better had the layout not get leaked though as we ended up knowing the layout beforehand which ruined the surprise, but it was still fun speculating the name, theme, and official stats. I was living out of town during Mystic Timbers decoding/construction but I remember following it on social media and that looked like a fun season as well. Banshee I have very little memory of it outside of a few pre announcement videos. All my memory is the animation videos and vertical construction.

Thats a no for me. I could get behind a scream n swing or even a super boomerang (which would make up for a potential loss of Invertigo. But id rather not a free spin.

Another thought if the Vekoma rumor is true is that back in August KI sent a survey with an option for a Peanuts "interactive dark ride" likely replacing Boo Blasters. While scrolling through Vekoma's portfolio, I noticed one of their attractions options is a "D-Ride Interactive Dark Ride" and the description sounds pretty similar to the description KI put out in the Peanuts dark ride survey. https://www.vekoma.com/media-based-attractions/d-ride-interactive-dark-ride Also since I don't think this would be that expensive of an investment, it could be part of a package of new attractions for 2026 like a Madhouse in the Crypt building or even an S&S scream n swing replacing Skyflyer.

I honestly always thought about how cool it would be to enclose the base of Drop Tower with an enclosed queue kinda like the base of Dr. Doom's Fearfall at IOA!

Easy answer...NO!

Some of that land in the top right was actually recently sold to the Kings Local School District. It is intended to be used for a new athletics complex for the new Kings High School that will soon be built on the current softball/baseball fields. https://kingsfacilities.org/portfolio-item/kings-hs-2/

I feel Carnivale is here to stay just because it's an International themed festival and KI and KD have International Street. I think Carnivale will return to KD in 26 as just like KI in 22 they're taking a year off to celebrate their 50th. I'd be okay with it as long as they expand on it and keep adding to the event and not cutting back like they've done the last few years. One way to do that is to bring back a Carnivale themed bandstand show (ie Royal Rhythms) and not just have Retrospect as the show. It just didn't have that "International Festival" feel to it. I'm glad they chose to keep Food and Wine as it has a lot of potential to be a staple at the park. It also really works well in that Tower Gardens/Eiffel Tower base area. However, I really wish instead of late May through June, they did it in late April through May. Have it be that springtime early season event instead of Summer. Now my main wish (obviously like we saw with Food and Wine last year where they added it last minute) is we see some type of Soak City event. That's literally where your new capital for 2025 is. Take advantage of it! Do some late ERT on the new attractions as part of like a "glow nite" event like you used to do. It felt like a major missed opportunity to not do some sort of "kids event" in Camp Snoopy last year to help promote Camp Snoopy and no the showing a new "camp snoopy" movie in Beagle Scout Acres doesn't count. I also would keep our eyes on Timberwolf this year. With Skyflyer being removed and Spirit Song mysteriously going silent last year after coming back one year post Covid (2023) with no signs of it coming back as well as no signs of KI hosting anymore concerts after the 2022 concert series flop, I feel like the time to pull the plug on it would be now especially if Congo, Invertigo, Drop Tower, and The Bat are all potentially on the chopping block. That would open up a large plot of land at the front of the park for something massive! Now that's the conversation of another thread lol. As for live shows this year, I'm willing to place a bet that Trailblazers Xtreme and Country Crossroads are returning. I'm about 50/50 on the gazillion bubble show as it looks like KD is potentially getting it, but they show at multiple parks so KI could still get it, but honestly I could also see KI getting Brad Ross as he did a 2 year stint at Carowinds and he was very popular there. The main question is about the bandstand show. Usually KI runs their shows for 2 years. Retrospect has ran for 2 years. However, Off the Charts ran there for several years. However, I really hope they do a live band show there again or at least change up the songs. Finally, not really live entertainment/special event related, but please please please PLEASE NO MORE JAZZ ON I-STREET!!! I know I sound like a broken record here, but the jazz has been playing for 3 seasons now and imo just does not fit International Street. Now, I could get behind the jazz during food/wine fest and Carnivale as it fits those events well, but outside of when those events are going on, I want to see orchestral music playing again! International Street is meant to be grand and revealing not laid back jazzy!

Yep! I'll never forget Coasterstock 2022 when it stormed during lunch and lightning struck Diamondback I believe and the thunder was so loud everyone in picnic grove jumped lol!

Looks like KI is the only park doing Grand Carnivale this year. Fingers crossed they are able to pour more money into it this year as they have more resources with the other past Carnivale parks not doing it. Please please please KI and Corporate bring back the 2019 version!!!

Carowinds recently posted their 2025 park map and it looks like their skycoaster is staying (at least for now). Bc of this, I'm starting to think maybe ours was removed with a plan in place. Maybe the 2026 attraction is going there afterall. Or they just decided to keep it bc of the other stuff removed (ie Nighthawk, Drop Tower, and Scream Weaver)

As much as I'd love a Scream n Swing in Skyflyer's plot, I don't see that being the 2026 family thrill attraction. I feel that has Crypt building written all over it. Or it could be a Boo Blasters upgrade (wasn't there a survey about a Peanuts dark ride back in August?) I think Skyflyer is part of a long term plan to redo Action Zone. Here's my prediction for how things could go this season if these rides are removed (take with grain of salt as it is just my speculation and I really hope this isn't the case). * Skyflyer is gone by opening day and the area is fenced off * Sometime in June/July after Music in the Parks is over, we see Timberwolf start to come down. Those who attend music in the parks would notice markings in Timberwolf * Mid August, the park announces the 2026 family thrill attraction with no mention of the activity going on in Action Zone * Also in mid August, rumors start to fly about Congo Falls closure after Labor Day * Labor Day weekend, Congo Falls closes for the season with tons of rumors/speculation about the ride being done, but no announcement comes * Haunt season, rumors about Invertigo, Drop Tower, and The Bat potentially closing start spreading like wildfire (like GAdv this past year) * Final weekend of Haunt, enthusiasts flock to Kings Island to ride Invertigo, Drop Tower, and The Bat one last time with all the rumors surrounding their potential demise while the park remains silent on the whole situation * Early-mid November, the park announces the retirement of The Bat, Invertigo, Drop Tower, and Congo Falls and teases a new major coaster for 2027 while hyping up the 2026 attraction to offset the loss (like GAdv is doing with Flash) * Sometime in December, demolition begins on The Bat. (with it being far out from the rest of the park, demolition of The Bat doesn't disrupt Winterfest operation 2025-26 off-season * Sometime in January, while demoltion continues on The Bat, demolition of Congo Falls begins and is completed a few days later * Late January, the final piece of The Bat comes down and Invertigo demolition begins * Early February, the final piece of Invertigo comes down * Late February/early March, Drop Tower gets imploded

You know what, that would be HILARIOUS if the 20 year theory continues and KI gets a multi launch in 2027 lol.

With it being the same weekend as Holiwood Nights, I feel the demand isn't as high as it was in past years where it was the only coaster event happening within the general area. Either that, or they raised the attendance cap.