TheCrypt

This makes me wonder if they're plugged in just so crews know that they still need to come down when it gets warmer. I've always wondered why things like the Coney Arcade or billboard uplighting on QCSC stay on in the off season. It seems unnecessary and like it would only cause those fixtures to burn out sooner.

Thanks, robintodd, for compiling this list. It's super interesting to see this lineage listed out. I distilled the list into what I think many would consider to be "the" major coaster installments--that is, big, landmark, adrenaline pumping attractions. (I also added The Beast and Top Gun to this list... ) The Racer (1972) Screamin' Demon (1977) The Beast (1979) The Bat (1981) King Cobra (1984) Vortex (1987) --- Top Gun (1993) Flight of Fear (1996) Face/Off (1999) Son of Beast (2000) --- Firehawk (2007) Diamondback (2009) Banshee (2014) Mystic Timbers (2017) Orion (2020) What I see from looking at this data is that there have been three distinct surges of big coaster additions in the park's history: they were added consistently between 1977 and 1987; 1993 and 2000; and 2007 and 2020. It also looks like those coincide with changes in ownership: the transition from Taft to KECO is at the tail end of the first era, then the purchase by Paramount, and then Cedar Fair. It should also be noted that, overall, Cedar Fair seems to have made a special impact on the park in their time: all major coaster additions have been guest favorites and highly reliable. Their stretch of routine coaster additions also spans the longest amount of time compared to prior owners. The data also shows that while Kings Island may have always catered to families, thrill seekers were never really excluded from the equation for a majority of park history. Even in those "off years" between big coasters, there have been other significant draws for thrill seekers like Delirium, Tomb Raider, Xtreme Skyflyer, and even the backwards Racer. This is on top of other family additions like the aforementioned smaller coasters, kids area renovations, the Lion Country Safari, the original Phantom Theater, Adventure Express, etc. Overall, it's clear that the park has fared far better than many others. I also do believe that every addition we've had since Orion has been a net positive for the park as a whole. But it seems hard to not feel that there is currently an unusual and distinct lack of the fresh thrills the park has (mostly) always kept up with. The additions like Snoopy's Soapbox Racers, Adventure Port, and Phantom Theater are well-received, but in the past, there has often been a greater effort to add more extreme additions at the same time. The formula post-Orion is seemingly "one or the other," whereas the park we've been used to has often felt like "both" was an option. We are now approaching the longest gap between major thrill attractions, not just coasters, the park has ever faced. Speaking just for myself, I do feel that gap a lot these days.

And your data is where, again?

Orion is a fun ride, but it doesn't hold its own in comparison to the other coasters of its class. It's a shame because I honestly think it's just one or two elements away from being outstanding. In my perfect world, there would be a fairly forceful inclined loop before the turnaround and a few low to the ground turns and airtime hills. One or both of those improvements would extend it just a little more and give the ride actual character.

Did I miss something? What's the update on Invertigo? I once read on here that each of the FOFs were constructed differently to see how much time they could save by their different building methods. If I remember correctly, the KD ride was built after the building and vice versa at KI. This meant that for KD, the crane was actually installed in the building and was--at least at the time of the post--still present long after the ride was constructed. And I'm pretty sure that the race to finish ended up in a wash. Now... whether any of that is even true is another thing. I wish I could find the original post, but it's been so long; it's buried somewhere.

https://KICentral.com/enviragalleries/monster/

Unfortunately, the banner on Kings Island's own website reads: Due to today’s inclement weather, King's Island will be closed.

I didn't realize how much I actually missed the Monster until I saw that picture. Thank you for the update!

Yikes... "Six Flags Slump" making the headline before the near-attendance record is tough.

It's a shame we don’t get to see great pictures and updates of this work from the park. These really are unique shots of the roller coaster that I'm not sure we'd see again for a long time. I wish they'd publicize the extent of their work because there are so many people who rode it last year who had no idea the first half was significantly different than it had ever been before.

It's seemingly never been there. See these pictures for reference. https://KICentral.com/parkhistory/past-attractions/scooby-doo-and-the-haunted-castle/

I agree with you that it would be nice to have, but I'm just not sure how feasible that would really be. Every ride has its own parameters for operation and every state has its own rules for adherence to manufacturers' restrictions. Rides themselves can also be so temperamental as is. Even with the same ride at two different places, they are just going to respond differently to their environments. I'm not sure I could expect both FOFs to operate the same / tolerate the same conditions as each other**, much less Goliath at SFOG and Diamondback. The same would go for Ninja at SFMM and The Bat; Silver Bullet at Knott's and Banshee; and Racer 75 at KD and The Racer. **See infamous stories of KI's FOF causing electrical issues while Drop Zone lifted through its brakes as just one example of a location-specific quirk, something every ride has in one way or another.

Something new I noticed last night is that they have now turned off the uplighting and lift hill lights. It all but disappears from the park at night.

Thanks to everyone posting these pictures. So stoked for a new wood coaster!

Very well put together. Does anyone have still have links to the teasers and promo videos?