Ashers

I think I went once on 'Bring a Friend Free Day', and it was really horrible. Almost every single ride had lines spilling out past the turnstyles. It didn't help that it felt like it was over 100 degrees that day. I remember waiting 3+ hours for SOB, and even Top Gun's line was out to the entrance. I remember people parking in the grass by the cemetery, it was so crowded. I'm glad they did away with that. I don't think anyone looked happy in the park that day! ~Ash

I hope we get info soon! I am excited to see what exactly the things they have planned are!

I think "Don't Stop the Music" will be a pretty good change from "Hot Island Rythms". Hopefully they'll pick some good songs. I think it will be pretty cool, actually. Can't wait to see it and everything else 2009 has to offer! ~Ash

I am so pumped to ride this thing! I know I've seen it partially completed up close....and I've seen pictures of it completed, but I think the minute that I step foot into the parking lot and when I finally walk right up to it I'm going to be blown away. I'm sure the pictures don't do it justice! All of this crappy weather is really making me wish it was springtime! ~Ash

Well guys I've been lurking for most of the winter but I had to come out and say "Hooray!!!" that Diamondback is finally done! Is it April yet? ~Ash

Every visit to Kings Island this season has been extremely special to me. I live in Columbus and the rest of my family lives in Indiana so KI has been a halfway point between us where we can meet and enjoy each other's company. This was the first season that my dad and oldest brother didn't get passes so I really got to spend some quality time with just my mom and brother Kyle. Our first few visits to KI seemed to be cursed by bad weather, but we never let that stop us from having a good time! I don't know if it's just the whole 'bring back the nostalgia' theme that CF has incorporated or the fact that I joined this forum(which has been very insightful!) but I've felt different walking around KI this year. I've noticed more of the scenery and I just feel "home" when I'm at the park. Walking down International Street past the fountains, hearing the music floating through the air, and seeing so many happy faces all around. I love when you walk past LaRosas in Rivertown and smell the pizza mixed with the hot pavement and the grease from the roller coasters. And of course we can't forget the taste of blue ice cream on a hot summer day! One of my best memories from this year is the excitement of finding out about Diamondback. The excitement on this board was contagious. I loved hearing everyone's guesses and speculations, and envisioning Diamondback every time I walk through that section of the park. It was my first experience of being 'along for the ride' as a new coaster/ride emerges at the park! I am so excited to see the progression of this thing and I'm sure we will all make some wonderful memories in the 2009 season when we ride it! Another memory that comes to mind was on Mother's Day this year. It was my mom,Kyle, & I at the park. We decided that day that we would ride Xtreme Skyflyer because it was only $5. My mom had ridden it before but my brother and I hadn't. I can't believe I've been to KI all of these years and never ridden it! That is probably one of the biggest adrenaline rushes I've ever had in my life. And we got the souvenir dvd so I'll always remember it! I remember that day we kept hearing the Michael Jackson song play through Action Zone "Can't Stop til you Get Enough"! That song will forever remind me of that day. It also decided to pour down rain that day as well. We all took off our shoes and we were dancing out in the middle of Coney Mall in the rain. Most everyone else was huddled in buildings and we must have looked pretty crazy out there in the rain. White Water Canyon was the only thing open during the downpour and we rode it like 4 times in a row, that was so much fun. I also rode a couple of things this season that I hadn't ridden in years. I rode the Monster for the first time since about 5 years ago....and it "barely" made me sick I rode Invertigo as well this year...I had only ridden it about 2 times since it opened! Last time I rode it I almost passed out so I was wary of riding it again, but I tried it this year and it was awesome. I also gave Vortex another shot this year too. I usually ride it every summer just a couple of times because I always got banged around pretty bad on it, but my brother told me to ride in the back and now it's a must ride every time we go! Riding The Racer with both sides running forward has produced some great memories as well! And for the first time ever this year I put my hands up on Drop Tower-what a rush! And we can't forget Halloween Haunt. I had the most amazing time there this year! I got more scares that night than every other "regular" haunted house I've ever been to combined! I can't wait to go back again! I've had the best time this summer at KI, and it really makes me sad to think that I'm going to have to go all winter without it, but before we know it 2009 will be rolling around and then we have Diamondback to look forward to! It truly is an amazing place where anybody and everybody can go and have fun. Where else can you go and scream at the top of your lungs without people looking at you funny? I just love the fact that there are so many different people there that come from different backgrounds,races,religions,etc but we can all come together and have a great time in such a wonderful atmosphere. It's nice to have a place like that in this day and age. But I think the memories that stand out clearest for me have been when I get to go to KI after a really hard week at work, or when I was in such a foul mood that I thought that nothing could cheer me up, but as soon as I got to KI and got on my first coaster(usually The Beast) I always remember just throwing my hands up and looking up at the clear blue sky and breathing a sigh of relief that none of that crap mattered at the moment. Even if you are having a horrible day, or things seem really bad it seems like one trip to a happy place like that can make you forget about everything at least for a day. Who can be mad when they are speeding along laughing & screaming for joy on a roller coaster with their hands up on a beautiful sunny day? And I am extremely happy that I joined this forum this year. Even if I don't post that much I love just lurking around and reading posts from people who adore KI as much as I do! I think it will really help me to get through the off season! Can't wait to read everyone else's best memories. ~Ash

Like I said, don't give me to much grief for it, not that you did! I'm just putting it out there because there are people who are running/walking/jumping/crouching/screaming for hours on end, and as the time nears down, it's inevitable some people slack, or get tired...it's human nature! It's like how some enthusiasts like to wait until the last hours of operation to ride a coaster; to give it a chance to warm up...avoiding it during the day; well, some tend to wind down at night, why I recommend hitting the mazes you really, really want to go through first, when the actors are fresh and have the most energy. After a night of work, I'm dead tired (haha) from all of the above. People just run out of energy at some point! Some sooner than others. But as I said before...I stick it out all night because, well I usually hear, "Wow, that's the only timeI got really scared! You're awesome!" A lot....that's what I live for...and that really encourages me and pumps me up! I freaking love doing what I do at the Haunt, and every weekend is something I just can't wait for. -KI "Tomorrow's Thursdayyyy!!" Man Yeah I saw you doing a really good job on Friday night. You got my mom really good at the end Yes we all have our own opinions and yes I guess I didn't need to be so harsh And to everyone else I didn't feel like I was whining, I felt like I was offering valid points of criticism. But, I digress! I say we stop cluttering up gnarlkiller's trip report and just agree to disagree! ~Ash

I think they did a really great job. As soon as we got in the park when we were walking back by Wings a scareactor started walking towards us and my cousin(who has never been before) decided to try and hide behind me and I said "um, not such a good idea, you're making yourself a target!" and sure enough he came up and terrorized us for a few minutes. I didn't get ambushed too many times but it was awesome watching all around us as people were talking or standing in line oblivious to the monsters standing inches behind them breathing down their necks! I saw so many people get the crap scared out of them by various roamers! The two clowns on their unicycles got us really good as we were walking down through Coney Maul...they flanked us on either side and blew their horns right in our ears...it was great. I saw more people getting scared in Rivertown/Coney Maul but we didn't spend too much time in Action Zone so I'm sure we would have seen more if we would have spent more time over there. I really think this has been my very best experience at Haunt and I can't wait to go back. I definitely want to try Urgent Scare and maybe give Massacre Manor another try this year. And I do get what KI Man was saying about people getting tired at the end of the night....but you really can't use that as a total excuse. I work as a massage therapist and after doing so many massages in a day by the time you get to your last client you just want to give up, but you still have to give as good of a massage at the end of the day as you did at the beginning. Not saying that giving massages is like screaming/yelling all night but you get my point. I guess that's just my opinion but I enjoyed every other maze this year so far, and maybe I'll give Club Blood another try but I don't think I'll wait in line very long for it. We went in Massacre Manor last year and that was the first maze we did that night and we waited at least an hour, and I was disappointed with that one as well. Just wasn't scary. So I don't think it necessarily has to do with what time you go in a maze or what night(although that can play a factor), but if something doesn't scare you then I think you should be allowed to voice your opinion! ~Ash

Everyone except, apparently, Club Blood. Sorry you didn't like it, I know I try to do my best in there. But I can only do my small part and hope that my co-scaracters are also doing their jobs to the best of their abilities. Your opinion is valid, as is everyone else's. There are people who like it, and those that don't, just like everything else in life. But did you have to be so harsh? Just kidding, I understand you feel strongly about it. It wasn't even really that the scareactors did such a horrible job....they were probably all doing what they were supposed to do. I just think it's a bad idea for a maze. I mean really what more can the 'dancing' girls do than dance in their cages? What more can the guy do that's chained to the chair? I guess what I'm saying is that I'm sure if the scareactors weren't so limited in what they are able to do then they could have taken all of their energy to scare people instead of dancing,eating fake crap,etc,etc. I'm not saying the scareactors in Club Blood aren't working as hard as everyone else....but yeah that is my opinion that the entire maze sucks. No offense to any of the actors in there! ~Ash

Awesome PTR!! Your kids are so adorable! I know we have talked a little bit about the importance of family in a couple of PM's and it's really great to see that through your pictures. And don't feel like your kids will just ditch you once they get older. I'm sure they'll go through that "I'm too cool to hang out with dad" phase like every other kid on the planet, but once they get a little bit older they will realize what is most important to them and will want to spend time with their great father! Trust me, I went through it and it took me until I turned 20 and got ready to move out until I realized how awesome it is to spend time with family! And yes, I'm sure you'll be just like my grandpa riding The Beast still when he was about 67 with his grandkids!! Hope you had a wonderful birthday! ~Ash

if you havent noticed, the entire haunt is molded around a club from hell basically, and the scare effect might not be high with you. I say its more intense than scary.... i don't believe a lot of our scare-actors were there on saturday, we did seem a little short handed..... the dark alley (your bikers are there) is exactly what it is, a dark alley - that you must travel down to reach the club. It is probably the most unique haunt at HH, and I must say if you do come back, give it another try!! you may not be into the theme of being in a night club taken over by drug depraved vampires, but im sure if you went thru again you may appreciate all the little things that make this one of favorites. I have to agree with angrybeaver on this one. Club Blood is probably hands down the WORST maze I've ever been in. We went on Friday night and there was hardly anyone there, and all of the other mazes/scare zones we went in were great. We did Tombstone Terror-tory and that is probably the best maze I've ever been in during HH. By the time we got out of there we had all lost our breathe from screaming so loud. The scareactors did an AMAZING job in that one. I love how they distract you by having someone talk to you and then all of a sudden someone darts out of the woods and scares the living crap out of you! The fog, the darkness, the awesome scareactors..all of it made for an amazing first maze of the night. We did CarnEvil, Cemetary Drive,Cornstalkers,Trail of Terror and Club Blood throughout the rest of the night as well. CarnEvil was fun, but not as scary as when we went in it 2 years ago. And I have a huge phobia of clowns! But the people that went through with me aren't scared of clowns and they agreed that it was fun and that everyone did a great job of scaring us in there as well. Cemetary Drive was cool...the girls acting like statues did an amazing job. Again, not as scary as when we went in last year, but still good. Trail of Terror was great 2 years ago and this year was no different. The tunnel you have to crawl through was awesome and they scared the crap out of us when they started banging on the top of it. The actors in this were very entertaining and they all did a great job of jumping out at the perfect time and delivering great scares. We went in Club Blood at about 12:30 and there was no line. The alleyway walking into the club was the only part of the maze that was dark. Nothing scary there...just some people listlessly walking around and saying stupid things. The motorcycle might have given us a good 'jump' if they would have revved it with the lights on right when we walked by but they had it constantly going so you knew it was there. As for the rest of the maze you had girls dancing in cages, a guy eating fake crap out of a toilet(which was actually really funny), there was a guy chained to a chair but the girl just stood there with her whip and didn't even do anything. We had a couple people kind of poke their heads around corners and kind of breathe in our faces but that was it. The guy on the bungee that jumped out didn't scare me because he did it too late but my brother told me if I would have turned my head an inch to the side he would have smacked me in the face. That was pretty funny too. And I did watch a couple of videos of Club Blood from this year and last year and I know they played the techno music from Blade and had a bunch of strobe lights and it looked pretty dark in the video but we got none of that. There was some music playing but I didn't see any strobe lights and it was REALLY bright in there. It was kind of dark after the bathroom part but that was about it. And for our exit we had a guy standing in a room with a girl on the table just standing there and he just yelled 'move along a**holes'. I really can't see why anyone would get scared in there and I really don't see why people say it's "intense" either. I have been to normal bars and dance clubs and you can see mostly the same thing(sometimes a little scarier!). I mean you can see skanks dancing on the bar or in cages,dirty bathrooms(sometimes even people throwing up in them...ohhh scary!),and sometimes drunk people wander up to you and breathe in your face too. I always try and go into mazes and things for Halloween with an open mind and I am never one of those people that just stare at the scareactors and make stupid comments but I was pretty close to becoming that person when I went through Club Blood. Every other maze we went into was awesome and every other scareactor walking around the park was amazing, but I have to give CB a big THUMBS DOWN. Definitely LAME. I feel sorry for the people who have to wait hours for it. *steps off soapbox* Just want to say everyone at HH is doing an amazing job and I can't wait to go back again soon and lose my voice from screaming! ~Ash

Kings Island: 1. The Beast 2. FoF 3. SoB 4.Red Racer(front car) 5.Drop Tower Cedar Point: 1.Millie 2.Maverick 3.TTD 4.Magnum 5.Raptor ~Ash

What a great find!! Love that article you posted,TopGun. They even knew back then that Mean Streak was going to suck That is funny to read that because my brother and I were talking about MS when we were at CP saying "oh,well back when it first opened people probably loved it....". Apparently not. Thanks for sharing that with us,KIFan! ~Ash

My brother and I have gotten some very dirty looks for screaming on AE. We don't do it EVERY time but mostly when our mom is riding with us because she gets so embarrassed but ends up laughing by the end because we are screaming so loud and acting like we are so scared. I think we started doing it on that ride because my aunt is deathly afraid of AE and she rode it with me one time in the front seat and she was screaming bloody murder on the first tiny drop....so funny. I never scream profanities and don't scream to annoy people, I just like to have fun. Just think, what gets you more pumped up to ride...when everyone is just sitting there acting like they'd rather be anywhere else but on a roller coaster, or when people are actually cheering and screaming and having a good time? Yes I agree it can be obnoxious when people scream to annoy others or scream cuss words around kids and such(like at the end of Racer when people scream at the top of their lungs just to make people angry). But when my brother and my cousin got yelled at by that woman and were told they 'couldn't handle the big rides' or when people turn around in their seats to glare at you just because you're screaming on a 'BORING' ride like AE, then that's stupid. Boring to some is terrifying for others! How do they know I'm not truly terrified? ~Ash

I always love your trip reports,angrybeaver! You guys always seem like you're having so much fun anywhere you go! I hope you're still like that when you get older! Love that shot you took under Power Tower! The sky looks beautiful, you must've had great weather! Next year I'm going to try to plan on going on a day like that...I've never experienced walk-ons at CP! Glad you guys had so much fun! How long was your max wait time on any given ride? ~Ash

Best.Trip.Report.Ever. ~Ash

That could have quite possibly been me! Uh...the second thing, not the first! I think it is hilarious when people start freaking out about their lap bars. Either when they are getting on the ride and freak out because they aren't latching yet or when they are getting off the ride and have no concept of 'push down,then pull up'. Sometimes I wonder why the ride ops even waste their breathe! ~Ash

What a great trip report! The picture of your daughter looking back while she's driving the antique cars is just about the cutest thing I've ever seen! I love how she was hamming it up for every picture....but it just looked like she was genuinely having a GREAT time! It sounds like you guys had a wonderful time and I can see your daughter in a few years with her little hands up on things like The Beast! I had no idea that Holiday World was such a good value as well...all that food for $25?! Your TR really makes me want to visit HW now. Thanks for sharing your trip with us! ~Ash

I'm not nervous to ride Diamondback-just extremely EXCITED! I did get a little nervous when I rode TTD for the first time this summer, but I think it was less nervousness and more 'my heart is beating out of my chest and the adrenaline is pumping full force'! I don't think I get scared on coasters but the anticipation when you are waiting in line for one you've never been on before can be crazy. Although, I did ride Xtreme Skyflyer for the very first time this summer and I can admit I was pretty nervous to go on that one....especially when you are being lifted up to the top...that is crazy! I still get nervous on Slingshot too. And no matter how many times I've been on DT that thing always makes me feel like I'm going to hyperventilate right out of my seat My brother and I read somebody's post on here about putting your hands up on DT on the way down and we had never tried it before. I always cross my legs and clench on to the handles really tight and take 20 deep breathes as soon as I hear that "sound" waiting for it to drop. But the last time we went we talked each other into just going limp and putting our hands up....I ended up grabbing his hand when we heard the "sound" but wow....that was the best feeling ever. So scary but so much fun to just let yourself go free when you are dropping. I am definitely riding that way every single time from now on! If anybody hasn't tried it yet...you have to...it's such a rush! And thanks to whoever gave us that idea....but I have no idea who it was now! ~Ash

I loved waiting in line for Dueling Dragons! The theming at Islands of Adventure is amazing. Every time you walk through to a different section of that park it feels like you are entering another world. I hope Diamondback's queue resembles Maverick's....it never felt like we waited 2 hours when we waited through that line. Although I think MF's queue is awesome with the DJ and the mist fans. Listening to music while you are waiting makes the time go by much faster! I have to agree with whoever said they feel like they are going to die while waiting for Firehawk! I think that is one of the worst queues ever. ~Ash

Actually I got injured at Boomerang Bay this summer on a waterslide and I was following all of the rules perfectly!!! I was riding Coolangatta Racer and I was on one of the outside tracks and as soon as I went around that curve on the slide my head SLAMMED into the side of the slide and I blacked out for the rest of the ride down. I opened my eyes as soon as I was down at the end of the slide but I was so disoriented that I could hardly make it out of the end of the slide. My mom was looking at me funny because she could tell something was wrong....and I tried to hang my mat up and I couldn't even see straight! I spent the rest of the day with a splitting headache and I couldn't even ride any rollercoasters after that because my head was so tender. The bad thing is when my cousin was visiting from Oregon the same thing happened to him. My little brother hit his head and actually fell off of the mat down the rest of the slide....but both of them probably weighed 80 lbs soaking wet when it happened to them. Let's just say I will never ride that slide again!! ~Ash

I don't know if you meant they stripped all of the Sonic restaurants out of Indiana or just Indianapolis but there is a Sonic still left in Indiana! It's in Madison! I'm sure if you look on their website you can find more locations in IN! ~Ash

Oh yeah I forgot about Tomb Raider! My brother and I rode it on opening day and I know we waited all the way past Swan Lake and LaRosas! So worth it though because we had NO idea what it was! I just remember walking into this huge 'cavern' of fog and then we finally saw what it was and we were so stoked. And that was when the water actually hit you in the face! *sigh* I miss TR:TR! I think we did end up waiting close to 3 hrs for it though! ~Ash

Technically when I first visited KI was when my mom was a few weeks pregnant with me and she actually rode The Beast because she had no idea she was pregnant.....I say that instilled my love of coasters...my brothers say it made me the 'special' person I am today...lol! I know the first time I visited was when I was around 4 or 5....and I remember riding the Smurf ride. I can specifically remember my mom saying "You hold my hand and do NOT wander off." about 10 times as we were walking up to the gate. It was EXTREMELY crowded that day and I guess we didn't get on a lot of rides...but I know for sure we did the Smurfs! I know we went there shortly after that when I was in school for a field trip and we got to ride the animal safari monorail. That was so much fun! And then the first real trip I remember with my whole family was about 1995 I think....we split up so that my dad could take me on the 'big' rides and my mom took my brothers to Hanna Barbera Land. The first thing my dad did was take me straight to Vortex. I was only 10 or 11 at the time so this was a HUGE deal for me! The only other thing I had been on was the Serpent and the Screechin Eagles at Americana so this was a big leap! My dad watched my face the entire time up the hill and he said I turned absolutely green but I just kept saying that I was okay and I didnt' want to get off! I just remember as soon as we hit that first drop I was screaming my head off and the loops just took my breathe away! After that I was truly addicted. I think I ended up riding every other roller coaster in the park that day maybe with the exception of King Cobra because I don't know that I was quite tall enough for that yet. But I know I did ride it soon after that if not that first day! The only coaster I was chicken about after that was FoF when it first opened that next year....I didn't ride it the first time everyone else did but I finally got the guts near the end of the season to ride it! I just wish my mom would have been more inclined to take photos back then when we were at KI. Now my brother and I take plenty of pics when we go but we hardly have any of the first few times we went! Although we did drag out some interesting on ride photos from about 10 years ago...next time I'm at my mom's I will post them! ~Ash

Yeah I think we waited close to 3 hours for Italian Job when it first opened! Definitely NOT worth it. 2 hours for Maverick & Dragster when we went to CP this summer though I don't really consider that a long wait since Maverick is new and Dragster had not been open all day! About 5 years agoI went to KI on a Saturday and I think it might have been bring a friend free day....though I'm not sure.....but it was one of the most crowded days I have ever seen at KI. I know it was one of those days when people were parking in the grass down by the cemetary and they eventually started turning people away because the park was at full capacity. We waited through the entire queue and out past the entrance for The Racer. I know it was at least 3 hours for The Beast. FoF was probably about a 2 hour wait. And SOB was out past the entrance and all of the turnstyles were full. To top it all off it was HORRIBLY hot....but I know we still had fun because my friend hadn't been there in such a long time. I will never go again when it's that crowded since we have season passes...but it doesn't seem as bad to wait that long when you have somebody with you that doesn't visit KI a lot. (Probably not too great for them but oh well!) We always try to avoid bring a friend free day now too! ~Ash