Hawaiian Coasters 325

The boom truck looks to have moved to the side facade towards Great Pumpkin and the showplace

I don't remember the last time KI did a first rider auction on a ride that wasn't a major coaster. I'm sure they'll do a media day though (if it opens on opening day then probably the Thursday morning before) but it would just be select invited people.

**DOUBLE POST** Looks like the "boom truck" has moved to the other side of the facade

Carowinds is bringing a "Bands in Residence" program this summer. If they can do it, why can't KI? Cincy has a ton of local bands both small and up and coming that I'm sure would love the opportunity to play at KI. Also pretty cool they're opening up The Conjuring during Spring Break. Part of me wishes KI could open earlier and hold a Spring Break event.

Looks like there's some sort of boom or reach truck right by the facade:

When it comes to potential artists/music groups for concerts, I'm honestly surprised the park hasn't attempted to bring in Kidz Bop to do a concert at Timberwolf. Ik they have a contract with Live Nation, but they've played one off shows at non Live Nation venues. Also I did some research and apparently in the early 2010s KidzBop and Six Flags partnered and did auditions and concerts at their parks. Also the fact the park plays mostly Kidzbop in Planet Snoopy. I know Kidzbop wouldn't be my type of artist to go see, but I think with KI being more "family friendly" a Kidzbop concert would I think do very well at KI. The park could even use them to help promote the kids area and/or Phantom Theater. Just imagine the marketing possibilities with "The Kidzbop Kids ride the new Phantom Theater: Opening Nightmare" or "The Kidzbop Kids enjoy Kings Island's Camp Snoopy"!

If I were to ever be in a meeting with John, that would 100% be a question of mine. I feel like Zimmerman wasn't really a concert person, but okay'd it when KI and Carowinds pushed for it, but immediately pulled the plug when they didn't bring in the ROI they wanted. I'm guessing that's why the Christian Festivals at the parks didn't make a return post Covid as Zimmerman was probably looking for a way out of those and Covid was their excuse to get rid of them. I'm curious with John Reilly's experience with SeaWorld/United Parks if he would be open to doing concerts and keeping it a yearly thing instead of try it and pull the plug after one year. SeaWorld and Busch Gardens do concerts at basically all their parks and they're all successful.

Yeah we need more people like Jeff running these parks! I think all regional GMs and park managers should take notes from him! I mean they usually bring in Hifi Honey and River City to do shows opening weekend and those weekends up until Memorial Day. I've said it before and I'll say it again they need to branch out and bring in more local bands than just those 2. Spread it out and maybe have one band in Festhaus, one on bandstand, and one on top of the bar in Action Zone (like Carowinds does). Then you also have some acoustic artists come in and do sets in the gazebo by Diamondback and the Mercado patio.

I love how opening day used to have its own logo. Kinda like MLB/Reds Opening Day. I wish they would do that again. Make opening day more special.

I could see it going if they become desperate, but I believe John Reilly mentioned it as a park with lots of potential at his meeting with a few KD fans a few weeks back.

Google Gemini and no it is a stationary image. I just screenshot a pic from Google Earth and paste it onto Google Gemini and I describe what I want to add to the image (for example I said "add a hotel in the grass area in foreground and name it the Kings Island Inn.")

Used AI to come up with a Beast Canyon Saloon concept:

I made another hotel concept with AI for that plot that is a little more realistic imo. This actually was mocked up before the water park hotel shared above

Is it just me or am I getting serious 2016 vibes with this ad on the website? Reminds me a lot of the banner on the entrance back in 2016 Photo source: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=122124750639113270&set=pcb.2797682560564843

They probably would, but Sandusky literally has like 3 indoor waterpark hotels near each other including a Great Wolf. Competition can be a good thing. Plus I'm not envisioning a major indoor waterpark on the size of Great Wolf. I'm thinking something more along the lines of the little indoor waterpark that used to be connected to the thirsty pony years ago or the indoor waterpark at the YMCA in Lebanon.

The idea would be to convert the field behind it that's empty in the pic where that old baseball field was into more hotel parking I had the same thought, but with Great Wolf Lodge looking to add another tower and with more hotels popping up at the Kings Mills/Mason exit over the last several years we know the demand for housing is there. Plus with the new regional pass, I think this could be a way to attract more out of town visitors to make a trip out of KI and add more revenue with on site lodging as the other hotels don't provide KI or Six Flags with any extra revenue.

Just playing around with AI a little lol tbh I actually kinda like how this turned out! If this actually came to reality, it would give Great Wolf some legit competition!

As time goes on, this may actually become a reality...

I believe in the recent quarterly earnings call, guest throughput was mentioned as a huge priority to the new CEO John Reilly. Whether or not those with more power (those on the board) agree with him remain to be seen. Hopefully that leads to better staffing on the rides as well as restaurants and shops. As a former op, I will say having rides at bare minimum was legit torture especially rides that are technically supposed to be 2 op rides, but are able to operate as a single op (ie Dodgem and Linus Launcher) or the triple op rides that can be operated in dual (Viking Fury and Monster) or Antique Cars that can get by with just one person at dispatch (the person who gets on the cars and brings them back into the station and loads the oncoming riders).

I've been checking the webcams back and forth and it seems like they have been moving WindSeeker up and down today Also I have noticed some trucks parked outside of the entrance to Phantom Theater right by the swings and kid dodgem

Fiesta Texas is doing passholder extra ride time this Saturday after park close. I would love to see KI bring back passholder post close ride times! Both in KI and Soak City like in pre covid years

I'm curious in knowing what the budget for this thing is. Obviously putting in animatronics plus screens is not cheap! I'm curious if the pricetag is around the amount as a new coaster.

I think they should do some TLC/painting of the outside to make it not as ugly. I think the building provides an opportunity for another indoor ride. Whether the park/six flags takes the opportunity in the future remains to be seen. I would hope they really look into it if Phantom Theater is a smashing hit. I think the park should look into building more Haunt buildings in backstage areas and converting the 2 former ride buildings (Crypt and Action Theater) back into indoor rides.

I came up with an idea to expand and refresh The Beast plaza as well as add a new indoor restaurant/show venue. The new restaurant/show venue I'm calling Beast Canyon Saloon would feature 2 levels, a bar, as well as a stage which would be a permanent home for country shows. It would also house a dance floor and during the day in between show times would offer free line dancing lessons (like those places in Nashville) which would be a cool experience for guests. I also added a water feature back to The Beast's queue area. Also while not in the concept, I envision The Crypt/current Conjuring building would be used for another indoor attraction

**DOUBLE POST** Six Flags Over Texas did an opening day ceremony for the park yesterday to kick off the 2026 season. I think KI should do something like this on opening day or even pass preview night since most guests are passholders anyway. I love what they're doing for their 65th anniversary. Since 2027 is KI's 55th, we could see another anniversary celebration season? Obviously I doubt they do something on the scale of 2022 (the 50th), but maybe a season with a dedicated logo and park improvements throughout the park if there isn't a new attraction next year. Also the fact they're adding 7 new shows this year is insane. Yet KI tends to have only like 4 stage shows plus the fireworks during part of the summer season and leaves the venues dark for a decent chunk of the season when they could be doing more (ie having bubbles for like 3-4 weeks in the KI theater and leaving it dark the rest of the season when they could add another show for the rest of the summer season). I also would like to see the park opening ceremonies return where a family is brought up each day to open the park at 10 am each day. That honestly makes the experience even more special! Video of Over Texas opening day ceremony: