Hawaiian Coasters 325

Here's to the last full month of the park being closed!

The KI Inn site is basically off the table now as Rivers Crossing announced a few weeks back they are going to be expanding onto that site. I believe they're developing half the lot into parking.

Did a little hotel mockup idea

I wish they would do some work on the entry plaza side of the building. At least dress it up and make it look like a grand entrance building like other parks have. Or if you want to go modern, replace the banner with an LED screen. Cedar Point fans should be used to at least some gaps between big projects. They went 6 years after Maverick when they opened GateKeeper. Wild Mouse was the first coaster addition since Steel Vengeance which was a 5 year gap. If you don't count that as a major addition then Top Thrill 2 was 6 years. Siren's Curse was the first fully ground up coaster addition since Valravn.

Why hello Owen lol. I didn't think you would be on here! I agree the smaller additions each year are much needed and are better than nothing at all imo. I personally would rather see new major coaster additions be spread out more and have more of a focus on improving the park and adding stuff everyone can enjoy. Personally I think there won't be any new ride in 2027 as I'm guessing 2027 capital will mainly be delayed 2026 projects and projects already planned pre merger. KI got their planned 2026 project with Phantom Theater and since 2023 KI got some sort of new attraction every year so I think 2027 will be more of an "off year" with more of a focus on park improvements and maybe some new events. I personally would like to see the park take advantage of the "55th anniversary" opportunity when it comes to marketing in 2027 as that'll be the 55th anniversary season. Now I don't think they'll do anything on the scale of the 50th celebration, but I could see some marketing and advertising done to celebrate 55 years. Also in 2027 Mystic Timbers will celebrate its 10th anniversary. Personally I think that would be a great year to update the shed and add some new music, theming, monsters on the screen, and maybe even an animatronic or 2 in there (if budget allows). I wouldn't mind seeing the shed completely redone and they could bring back #whatsintheshed for some marketing and do it right this time.

Looking closely on the webcam, it definitely looks like some new work done there:

This is the type of 4th of July event I think Kings Island should be doing outside of just a bigger firework show! This is Cedar Point's new America 250 event

Carowinds is planning to host a passholder q&a with park leadership as well as other festivities as part of pass preview night. I think KI should do something like this on pass preview day

I believe Tony Clark confirmed Carnivale would be back this year at No Coaster Con, but I also heard he either hinted or downright confirmed this would be the last year for it. If so why have it anyway if you know it is going to be the last year for it because we all know they'll use it as an excuse to water it down even more!

Carowinds has moved their Viva La Fiesta event to be a spring time event from April 17-May 17 other than peak summer. Looks like they're counting the Splash Water Parade as the peak Summer event or they have a new unannounced event coming. If Food and Wine is coming back I would like to see KI follow suit and move Food and Wine to a few weeks earlier and have it run from like the last weekend of April through Memorial Day as that makes the most sense to hold it imo https://www.sixflags.com/carowinds/events

I had a dream last night that KI announced a concert series for this summer....then I woke up per usual lol.

Since the color scheme looks to be purple track with dark grey/black supports I think it nearly confirms "Phantom Spire" is the name! I'm honestly curious if we're going to see some crossover references to Phantom Theater in the theme/queue of that ride as legacy CF loved to reference rides at other parks in "easter eggs".

This is why a new gen Vekoma multi launch is my top choice for that area and it's pretty clear based on the survey back in November/December that the park and corporate are in fact looking into that. Ever since Vortex left there is no coaster that goes upside down that has a 48" height requirement. Banshee is 52" and Invertigo/FOF is 54". A ride like AlpenFury would be great, but it has a 54" height requirement I think.

I've said before that I would like them to convert the current Peanuts Showplace space to a Phantom Theater museum/gift shop area that features props from the old Phantom Theater ride as well as that being where the character meet and greet could go. They could move the Peanuts meet and greet to Beagle Scout Acres (which they sorta already have over there). Or they could go back to having Snoopy and the gang on International Street. Maybe bring back the Peanuts Block Party and have shows on the bandstand during the day like before?

I think the facebook post got taken down...not shocked lol.

My hope is a glow in the dark carpet type flooring with a cool pattern kinda like what's in Haunted Hotel at Funtown Splashtown USA which is another fairly recent Sally installation.

I could honestly see The Vortex replacement in 2028 followed by a parking lot coaster (Invertigo/Congo/TW area) along with a renovated entry plaza in 2032 for the 60th anniversary (which is crazy to think we are getting close to the halfway point to that year as the 50th year feels like yesterday). Assuming we don't run into another major financial disruption (ie another pandemic or major recession or even bankruptcy).

So it seems like the new tower is going in the parking lot somewhere in front of the current building. Interesting they chose there instead of right behind the waterpark where there is some open land there between the outdoor pool and columbia rd.

Elizabeth Nadeu, The digital marketing manager has announced she is leaving Kings Island to take the social media and community manager position at P&G: https://www.instagram.com/p/DUo86ZCDIpJ5QSkQbDTE6spzt7I1Y64vNya3PA0/?img_index=1 I know some of you have mixed feelings about her, but she was always nice to me and I will miss her around the park and I wish her nothing but the best moving forward.

While I love the idea of a fully enclosed queue, I don't see Six Flags investing in that kind of money. That's more along the lines of something Universal or Disney would do. P.S. Can you do a full walkthrough of the queue or just a set of pictures of each area of the queue?

My concept is that area would be an overhang. Also I believe there's a creek there already and my concept involves expanding it and giving it nice landscaping like the water features in Siren's Curse's queue.

I have been wondering how a queue could work for a Vortex replacement and I mocked up a sorta idea of a queue line with a double sided locker system and metal detectors (like Siren's Curse). The station of the coaster would be higher than usual allowing for a bunch of open space underneath the station that would be used for the double sided lockers, the exit gift shop, on ride photo booth, and a merged queue that would also feature a "pre-show" for the ride. The coaster model I have is a modern Vekoma launch.

I came up with a mausoleum concept for Banshee's queue. It goes over the main part of the queue that is usually first to open up when the line gets longer

I mean KD invited Clint Novak as well as Brian Sterowski who are both highly regarded KD influencers and aren't hesitant to criticize the park when things aren't great.

Apparently a meeting took place at Kings Dominion with the new CEO John Reilly with multiple KD media influencers where the discussion was about the future of the park. I really hope we see one of these at Kings Island as its no secret that the relationship between the park and some of the bigger media influencers haven't been the best lately.