BB1

….I approve of Rhinegeist, Sonder not so much. BB1, more than willing to ride the Intamin green TRUTH sponsored by Rhinegeist coaster that ends with a micro brewery where one could get a Truth after riding TRUTH.

My problem is that the team that focuses on Haunt has done away with so many good pieces for haunts and just dumped them. We had some amazing scare zones only years ago that outperformed what we have today, same for haunted houses. I'd even go as far to say that everything after Slaughterhouse 2.0 has been a miss in my eyes.

As per sources close to me, the PT animatronics have been (for the most part) scrapped. I’d love to see something like that come to KI which IMO would go over well with the pass holder base but I would need some more scares than just thematic effects.

^They have not, seasonably that part of the park lacks hanging lights. Historically that section did have decorations, then a scare zone, then it turned into the main spider section for the park. Maybe we are finally getting a new scare zone for 24?

The fact that KI has an actual Oktoberfest section and isn't getting an Oktoberfest is honestly depressing on so many levels. The problem with Kings Island's implementation of the food events is that the selection was just bland for the wine festival. Oktoberfest, if done as a limited seasonal run from the end of September to the early part of October would do fairly well in my eyes in terms of a park event. I will pay dollar for dollar for a Hoffbrauhaus beer at the park, or even have local craft breweries showcase their Oktoberfest beers as several are kicking off their rotations now. Kings Island has what should be the easiest slam dunk opportunity to create a very unique event that showcases local flair and celebrates the Cincinnati Oktoberfest tradition, as there's dozens of events in the area and I know every single one was packed every year. If Kings Island made a legit event, working with local bands and German communities, this could go over extremely well.

Sarcasm, Cincinnati has the largest Oktoberfest every year and has a ton of smaller Oktoberfests in the tri state.

While riding the Blue Racer and Adventure Express yesterday we were able to see most if not all of the Winterfest floats set up in the float tent behind The Racer. It looks like we will still get some amazing family experiences but I'm curious to see how this year will compare with next year. What are some of your thoughts on what you would like to see/anticipating for this year? Winterfest is set to debut on November 29th opening up at 5 PM est!

Water coasters in their simplest forms are slides, in which a tube or some form of vehicle like a mat, is propelled up a hill with some form of propulsion in contrast to traditional water slides that rely strictly on gravity and do not have propulsion up hill. To nit pick what constitute a water coaster as bringing tubes to the station is simply put is flawed. I've been to several waterparks, I have been on several water coasters, I'm probably one of the few people who actually counts their water side credits. You can have Infinity Master Blasters, Master Blasters that end and you have to pick up your tube and you could also go the ProSlide route which has a station and lift like what you get at Holiday World's attractions. I didn't hear anyone pipe up about the fact that MASSIV, which was touted as the world's TALLEST water coaster, you had to carry your tubes up to the station, thus disqualifying it from being a water coaster. Extreme Water Slide | MASSIV Monster Blaster | Schlitterbahn Galveston . But wait, there's more! Even White Water West, the producer of this new water coaster and MASSIV, has MASSIV on their website as a water coaster, the Master Blaster Model. Master Blaster Water Slide - The World's First Uphill Water Coaster (whitewaterwest.com) . The langua franca of the water park scape is different than what you have in the parks. Just like how you have B&M's and Intamin, you have White Water West and ProSlide Technologies. If you're looking at this as "hey this is a new coaster credit" don't, it's not a roller coaster, which necessitates different parameters to be considered as an actual roller coaster. It's a slide, called a water coaster, it doesn't mean Aqua Trax, which is entirely different.

<bump> Something that has popped up a lot in conversations with friends (and as well on Tower Topics that I practically listen to every day it drops at this point) is the lack of a tube lift. Just wanted to throw it out there that adding a tube lift adds extra mechanisms that the park would have to maintain to operate the attraction. Zoom Flume around 10 years ago got a new lift system because the old one was having so many issues. Speaking from first hand experience, the lifts cause more long term needs that the park is probably trying to mitigate. Sure, the tubes are probably bulky however from a park maintenance/operations standpoint it is eliminating the need of having someone actively put tubes on the lift, maintain the lift, and better yet it will make it so that guests aren't waiting for tubes to arrive, they should have the tube ready to go. This, in theory, should make wait times less and as well help the park with staffing issues (which is ironic as they have had 2-3 in water positions to assist guests and yet they can't have both sides of Thunder Falls in operation)

Another piece of signage infront of the actual location for River Racers. They also added checkered flags on the main sign as well! Should anyone wish to use these photos please feel free to! Just credit me in one way or another!

So update as per the park: -Benefits carry over to other parks if you have the All Parks Passport so you could use your preferred parking and Fast Lane at Cedar Point, Carowinds, etc. -You can get all the benefits of a Prestige Pass this year when you renew to a Prestige from a Gold Pass in 2024. I went ahead and renewed to upgrade to a prestige pass just because of that clarification. One Fast Lane a day and preferred parking at the other parks on top of Kings Island even with the other benefits have enough value for me to go ahead with it.

Some signage from the waterpark, ironically slapped smack dab in the middle of the main causeway to the other side of the waterpark.

For someone who came to the park often as a kid, without a chaperone because I respected the park rules, I’m sad to see that kids who are responsible are being punished for what other unruly kids do. With that being said, now being an adult I’m glad the park is cracking down on this. I’ve seen several unattended groups of youth just this year. I’ve had a few run ins in the past with kids bumping into my group or just kids running in the midway with no respect to the people around them. This is a minor change but it has some pretty big implications now.

Cedar Point has had it in at least one holiday video, I know they’ve had it on there as a 500ft tall Aqua Trax as it’s been a running joke with Cedar Point for years now. Iirc they had it also at a Winter Chill Out in the past few years as, once again, a running joke that they tease the thoosies with. My main point is that it would be ironic if the park actually got an aqua trax finally (sans the 500ft marker of course).

Does anyone know if the free Fastlane per visit is that only for your home park or can you use it with the All Parks at whichever park you go to? (EDIT It does say you get benefits at other parks as well)

To say that this theme was out of left field is an understatement. I was expecting either a full SC retheme with this or a continuation of the theme we had in the past. While yes there are plenty of coastal villages with rivers, to go with what I would see as a RiverTown style was out of left field. My only concern is the bathrooms on the far side of the waterpark, which is arguably the best place to change as no one uses them so it's easy in easy out. If they get rid of those facilities then the only bathrooms available are on the far side near the entrances. Which at the end of the day, for both guests and associates alike that's going to put a major strain on the other facilities that I would be concerned about. The addition itself was needed, I'm excited to ride in 25, hopefully we get more trees and foliage too as we desperately need more shade!

I’ll find out tomorrow I’m going to the park tomorrow evening and I’m planning on picking up at least one piece of passholder merch. Stay tuned to BB1’s (not financial advice) merch hunt!

Yep! It basically says Kings Island Passholder (sorry the pic lighting wasn’t that ideal for some reason)

In the KI Collections store, there’s stickers, a button, two styles of hoodies and more! IMO it’s a step towards a pass holder culture we desperately need like what we have at USO. Hopefully we get something for the Haunt/WF season too! I wish the hat wasn’t distressed and was a mono color like the ride hats we got this year. Definitely snagging the grey hoodie!

I've griped about this every year for the past several years now. Let me enjoy the Haunt season, make the last day feel like what we used to get in the late 2000's and early 2010's. IMO Haunt was in it's hay day back then, I hope now with some SIX focus we can get a better event moving forward.

Look I can tell you with certainty when certain events are happening in the Orlando parks, make it the same for KI. Kings Island has a really strong passholder base that would tap in if they actually put the effort in. This year just felt vague, even the Wine event fell flat for me. If they were to create flyers or some form of cadence with "Seasons of FUN", April-May Wine Festival June-July Carnivale August-September Rivertown BBQ Rodeo or whatever I feel like that would hit better than the half baked concepts we got this year. The fact that I'm even complaining that I didn't have the opportunity to spend money at the park is very bizarre but it's just the way I feel like the park is going. I feel like Kings Island, if they had an actual force behind them that cares for the events enough to make the full experience unique it could have been so much better.

I'd call the park(s) to confirm, I'd assume as such, but I would leave no ambiguity to it as the last thing anyone needs is to drive somewhere and not get entry.

Haunt is confirmed from 9/20-11/2 this year! I'm glad we got some additional time to enjoy the park in the fall but I'm hoping the final night won't be an Frankenstein of Christmas and Haunt in one go.

Aqua Trax = Coaster that can float or goes into the water at some point Water Coaster = tube slide that has some form of propulsion that guides a tube up hills on the circuit.

I was at the park on Saturday and I can basically confirm Raven needs some serious work. Same can be said for Legend but it’s not as much in comparison. Voyage had a really solid portion where it was smooth; however the first major turn was really rough. That coupled with the dip that made me hit my ribs on the lap bar didn’t make for a great experience either. I’m under the impression that HW is an early season park so that the coasters that get TLC are more tolerable. Good Gravy wasn’t as impressive as Snoopys BUT I did buy the gravy boat which came with a gravy recipe!