VortexBFForever

I'm so excited! I never had the chance to experience WinterFest in its earlier days, and now I will finally have a chance to see what it's like!

Yes, I will write reports for my previous two trips (July 5 and August 11). I've decided to write about this trip first while it's still fresh in my mind. I'll get started by providing the background to this trip and why I am giving my trip report this name. You are not required to read the back story. If you don't want to read the back story, simply scroll until you see the first photo. This week so far has been a huge struggle for me mentally and emotionally. Sunday was great; it was on Monday that everything started with the biggest, hardest ordeal: my dog. I mentioned in another thread (the Random Discussion Thread, I believe) back in May that my dog had lymphoma. Prior to Monday morning he was doing fairly well, but on Monday morning he had deteriorated to the point where his breathing was so labored that it sounded like really loud snoring. It was so hard just to have to put up with hearing it constantly. He was so uncomfortable! Mom called the vet, and just before 10:00 a.m., I hugged, kissed, and said goodbye to my eleven-year-old furry canine friend one last time before Mom took him to the vet. He was going to be put to sleep, but he died naturally in my mom's arms as she was carrying him in, so he just had to be cremated. Life at the Xenia YMCA was (and is) also getting out of whack. My Monday morning Yoga class was cancelled just then, because the instructor had not gotten back from her vacation yet, so that gave me an extra hour to watch Olympic Track and Field and Volleyball live while walking on the treadmill. Monday evening Zumba was also abnormal, as the main instructor for that class was not there either. I did hear she was extra busy this week (and she was taking a few nights off) so it was understandable. Tonight (Wednesday) 's Zumba is going to be the same as Monday night. Yippee! The aforementioned Zumba instructor is also my mentor, one of only a few people I feel comfortable expressing my struggles to. I thought I would have time to talk to her yesterday (Tuesday) morning since I had a few things I had/have been struggling with for two weeks now. However, that conversation I longed for never happened, and that threw me for a loop (no pun intended) since I was really hoping for it to happen. (I did get to talk with her when I was at the Y this morning, though, so that's good.) She's a really busy person, and I understand that. However, being a person who has trouble adjusting to abrupt changes or things not working out, I couldn't help but still feel crestfallen through the rest of the afternoon. The upside of Tuesday morning was that my Group Cycling class went as normal, with the exception of the class ending 15 minutes early since I was the only student who showed up. Usually on Tuesday evenings, I return to the Y for a TRX (Total Resistance eXercise) class, but since I was still so downhearted by the many unplanned, not-working-out occurrences so far this week, I felt that if I went, I wouldn't get very much out of it due to being so unmotivated, and it would be too much for me to bear emotionally (especially since there would be a substitute instructor at that class too!). I needed a break - something to distract me and temporarily spare me from the reality I was currently facing. At 5:00, I asked my dad if it was too late to go to Kings Island, and he said no and that he would be willing to go. At 5:30 we left home and at roughly 6:20, we arrived at the park. I was literally "escaping to my happy place" - and if you know me well, my happy place is Kings Island. After all, it was National Roller Coaster Day, and I wanted to end this day on a much more positive note. Whew. Just thought I'd get this out of the way to provide some context. Sorry if I've already bored you. But good news: it is now trip time! Yay!! These pictures speak for themselves. Thanks to the rain and it being not much more than an hour before closing, Kings Island was the most dead I had ever seen it in my 10 seasons as a loyal patron! There was only one lane open at the Front Gate, and we saw a mass exodus on the way into the parking lot. Literally every ride had a number of empty seats; not once did I see a fully loaded ride vehicle. It's days like these that I am thankful Kings Island is still just as ready to serve even the most slim guest turnout. After all, their calendar does say 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and they shall stick to that. I'm sure it was a #KIBestDay for the other brave souls who stuck around until closing. It sure was for me! It was so surreal not having to thread through a sea of guests in Action Zone as I have always found myself doing on more "normal" trips. I made my way toward Invertigo to take advantage of its nonexistent line. I had never seen it cycling with so many empty seats, especially for a low capacity ride! I rode Invertigo twice, once on each end. I walked onto the forward-first end just in time for the next cycle, and waited an additional cycle for the backward-first end. That first drop sent a much-needed adrenaline rush through me as the half-filled train soared down through the station and up through the cobra roll and loop (and of course the same way in reverse). What a nice way to start this getaway! I knew it wouldn't take long to snag a front seat ride on Banshee, so I went for it. And surely enough, the front was only a one train wait! I rode on the Aqua Green/Teal Train. That 67mph breeze, coupled with the frequent sprinkling of rain, made for a nice ride down that purple twisted track. For the first time ever, I saw Zephyr with only ONE PERSON ON IT!! I guess it;s no surprise since that ride always has a short line. I grinned, remembering my own "zen ride" experiences as I headed toward X-Base to see if Firehawk was open, hearing "Welcome back, Zephyr rider; how was your ride?" on the way. I saw a Firehawk train cycling, but there were two trash cans and two attendants blocking the entrance. Flight of Fear was reportedly a 15 minute wait according to the app. It was almost 7:30 and I didn't want to take any chances, so I backtracked to the main midway, where I saw stashua123 on the way if I remember correctly. I was eager to ride WindSeeker and Vortex, knowing that a chance for netting a solo ride on either (or both) was pretty good. On the way, I saw one of Vortex's trains on the transfer track, though at the time I thought it was sitting on the block brakes on the main circuit, waiting to go into the station. When another train arrived on the first block brake run and kept going, get this: I legitimately thought it was going to run into the other train. I'm not kidding. I literally braced myself. Of course, the arriving train passed right by the other train since they were on different tracks, and I had my "duh" moment. After all, if that train really was on the main circuit, then the blocks would have by all means prohibited the arriving train from proceeding. Mind blips...good grief... I decided to head to WindSeeker first. I waited until the ongoing cycle finished before boarding Seat 64. It was a six-rider cycle, as one other rider rode next to me and four others rode on the other side. The sprinkling of rain had resumed as "2001: Space Odyssey" began playing and the six of us lifted off on my first rainy WindSeeker ride since Labor Day, September 3, 2012! After that refreshing flight, I decided now was the time to get my Vortex rides in, so I made the short journey to the station where I walked right onto 6-1 on Train #2 for my 313th ride, enjoyed with four other riders. I know I bring it up every time, but this night was the perfect time for a marathon. Problem is, they still aren't allowed anymore. I bring this up every time because with every marathon-applicable time I have experienced ever since the reride policy changed, I miss my Vortex marathons more and more and more. Since I have to walk around every single time, it will take me much, much longer than I've wanted/planned to get to 400 rides. At least one gets more exercise. But either way... I MISS the old reride policy SO MUCH!! Just had to get that out. And yes, I still respect Kings Island just as much as I have before, even if it means a slower journey to my next big ride milestone. And when I DO reach 400, it will be that much more special. As Train #2 arrived on the block brakes, I saw stashua123 and ohiocolts walking by on the midway. I started waving, and ohiocolts noticed. I then held up my fingers, showing "3 - 1 - 3" in an attempt to communicate that this was my 313th ride. I walked back around again and walked onto 2-1 on Train #1 for ride #314. Another "criss-cross" happened while going down the drop into the corkscrews. I said hello to the nearly empty Train #2, ascending the lift hill just mere feet away. Usually during a criss-cross I'm on the train on the lift hill, but on this one I was on the train going down into the corkscrews! It was so cool!! I also said hello to Train #3 on the transfer track as Train #1 cruised by and into the station. It was a nice (bumpy, I know) ride as always. especially since I enjoy riding in rainy weather. I was reminded of my 18-ride marathon on Vortex on October 14, 2012. Hopefully one day, such a feat will be permitted again... I headed back over to WindSeeker to see if I could get a solo ride, as the lone rider on the ongoing cycle did. I walked through the queue as the cycle started, where I was assigned to Seat 63 this time. By the time the cycle finished and I took my seat, no one else had joined me in line. I had gotten my wish and now had WindSeeker to myself for the first time since Labor Day, September 2, 2013! I did my best to take everything in as "Ride of the Valkyries" began to play and WindSeeker carried me, the lone rider, up 301 feet into the clouds (well, not exactly IN the clouds, but closer ). And let me tell you, there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING in the world that can match the first-hand experience of flying high above the park and the surrounding Mason area with an unparalleled view, and having all that matched with an appropriate soundtrack - all while being the only occupant of a graceful, giant machine with the ability to fly 63 other people as well as one! To an aspiring future engineer, especially...this is an amazing reminder of how valuable the disciplines of engineering really are and the appreciation of the mechanical, electrical, structural, etc. engineers and technicians that put their minds and their backs into what became marvels like the 'Seeker that was taking me on my own personal flight in this very memorable three minutes of an already great evening at my home amusement park. While we are still on the topic of "zen rides", I had a bird's eye view of a few Vortex trains carrying only one rider, which obviously reminded me of when I was that one rider, particularly on September 26, 2010; May 16, 2014; and May 29, 2015. As WindSeeker gently lowered me to the ground, I saw one of the associates at Vortex moving the trash can to block the entrance. Apparently, it was already 8:00 right as I heard "Welcome back, WindSeeker, how was your flight?" and I was getting off (and no one had queued during my cycle), which made me the clear-cut last rider of the day on WindSeeker's last cycle of the day. It was just a hair too late to take Vortex Ride #315 (like I originally planned) but ending the day on WindSeeker, especially by yourself, is just as awesome! This was on purpose. I thought the rain drops would have a cool effect. This #KIBestDay did not end at the park, as a wonderful double rainbow flew through the sky during the ride home: (at least, a partial double rainbow. The second rainbow was too faint to be captured in the picture. And of course, pictures will never do justice to seeing a rainbow firsthand) It was definitely a great night to escape. No lines for what would normally be a good wait, and the occasional sprinkle - all capped off by a solo 'Seeker flight. Thanks for reading! And Happy National Roller Coaster Day! +Invertigo: 2 YTD: 3 Total: 16 +Banshee: 1 YTD: 4 Total: 18 +WindSeeker: 2 YTD: 8 Total: 79 +Vortex: 2 YTD: 14 Total: 314 Notes: -I can't say it enough. The park. Was. DEAD!!!! A very surreal experience for my most impromptu visit! -Most "zen ride" instances I have ever witnessed in one night. It was the first time I saw only one person riding Zephyr. -The frequent on-and-off showers felt good, not to mention it kicked my first WindSeeker ride of the evening up a notch. -Vortex never stacked! Gee, I wonder why... Also the most "criss-crosses" I have seen in one night! -I would've LOOOOOOOVVVEEEEDDDD to be at the park and seen the double rainbow. Imagine seeing it from atop WindSeeker; That'd be quite the experience! -Like I said before, perfect night for a marathon on your favorite ride, should those ever be allowed again...I hope...and dream at this point.... -Everyone was nice! Every single person checking my restraints on every ride I rode said "Enjoy your ride!" with a smile. -Again, it was nice seeing you, ohiocolts and stashua123 and the other person with you, even if it was for a brief moment! -My kind of visit!! I always love days like this. I mean, who doesn't? I'm so thankful I can have a Platinum Pass and go to a park just 50 minutes away. -Definitely the emotional break I needed. -All three coasters I rode were looping coasters! I did some math and I found that I went upside down a total of 31 times. And, certainly the most true note of all... Not every unplanned change is bad! I was not even thinking of going to Kings Island until 5:00 when I asked my dad, hence why this is my most impromptu visit to date. Definitely a breath of fresh air for me in these last few days!

I wanted (and hoped) to get a Vortex train to myself, but it was 8:00 right as my having-WindSeeker-to-myself flight came to a close (as in, one of the associates was moving the trash can to block Vortex's entrance mere moments before WindSeeker safely landed me back on solid ground). Thankfully, I have had such "zen ride" instances on Vortex before; I came pretty close tonight, AND my solo 'Seeker flight was also WindSeeker's last cycle of the day! For those who did get their own Vortex trains to themselves, I'm happy you did! And I hope you had lots of FUN!

I'm so glad I was at the park tonight, even if it was for an hour and a half. I rode Invertigo on both ends of the train, Banshee in the front seat, Vortex twice with no more than five other riders aboard, and WindSeeker twice including one ride in the rain and a solo ride (for the first time since 2013!) to close out the evening. Not to mention I saw a double rainbow during the drive home... AND I saw stashua123 and ohiocolts (in case you were wondering who that crazy person waving at you from aboard Vortex was )!

Of course the stream buffers RIGHT WHEN the new ride is unveiled. I had a feeling that would happen... But I saw enough afterward to know about the ride, so it's all good!

Vortex is the only coaster that I used to grey out on. This is not uncommon, but I guess the G's from all the inversions do it. I used to ride that 6-7 times back to back. Takes a toll for sure. This was a long time ago, so I don't know if it's rougher now days or not. I honestly find The Vortex to be one of the roughest rides in the park. I would ride The Beast 10 times in a row over The Vortex. I'm sorry to hear about this! I understand not everyone enjoys rides like Vortex (given that it's 29 years old and the oldest steel coaster at Kings Island) but it still breaks my heart to hear stories of bad experiences on my special favorite ride......but to each his own. As for riding it, yes, I find myself graying out on the second loop sometimes (not as much as I have on some other coasters though) and I am still as inclined to ride it numerous times on end as I was when I started riding it six (?!?) years ago! Sometimes I wish everyone else would be able to handle Vortex just as well. I know that will never happen, but it's just a thought crossing my inquisitive mind. I seem to have a way with those Arrow coasters, as a few from here have said before... ... Pertaining (more) to the topic, I hope it won't be too long before Zephyr is up n' running again. I had decided against riding it on my previous trip because of time, which means I have not ridden it since June!! And of course the announcement has to be on another conflicting day for me. SOMEDAY there will be an announcement I will actually be able to attend!

83?!? That's an accomplishment to ride coasters at that age. Imagine how much things will change by the year 2082 (when I'll be 83)! Hopefully my love of coasters won't be one of the things that change! I can hardly imagine what will happen in ten years, much less 66... As for Kennywood's biggest fanatic, I am sorry to hear about his passing. It never feels good to hear about one's death, as I have experienced too many times already...

I still remember one day like that: Sunday, October 14, 2012. There was a big storm that was supposed to hit the park but the park ended up getting only a small shower because the storm ended up passing to the north (or south? I don't really remember). Through that whole rain shower, I had an uninterrupted 18-ride marathon on Vortex due to the nonexistent line; not once did it have to close due to weather because it was just rain!! Days like this, while somewhat rare, are indeed glorious. I was surely thinking "I bet there are no lines at Kings Island right now" as I went on with my day yesterday!

With nothing but sunny skies in the forecast, I knew today was going to be nothing but gorgeous as my dad and I enjoyed the park for the second time this season. The park's American flag and the three flags in front of the Royal Fountains were all at half mast to honor the victims of the tragic events in Orlando. In the meantime, the park had also upped its security. Thankfully it didn't take too long to go through and the security guards were very friendly. Since there were only mere minutes until opening, a large cluster of people were gathered in front of the ERT entrance. It took a moment to find a pathway through the mob so we could get through the entrance (showing our passes to the guard of course). Walking back, I took in the fountains, beautifully illuminated by the rising sun, and I could feel the anticipation of the park getting ready to open as the minutes became moments. Surely enough, as we entered Planet Snoopy, I could hear the opening announcement starting. While walking through, a rare moment happened where no music played - it was just the other park noises often overpowered by said music. I enjoyed the brief silence as we headed toward Diamondback... ...which was closed, even though the park had already opened. I wondered why Diamondback had been sitting still while WindSeeker and Vortex were awake and actively finishing their morning test runs. I looked across the midway and saw Race For Your Life Charlie Brown, open and ready to go, so I headed there and made Kings Island's oldest Arrow my first ride of the day. I was on its second ride of the day, aboard Log 20. I sat in the front, as I always like to do. My ride proved that being the only rider in the boat didn't mean that said rider wouldn't get wet. After a nice, watery ride through the woods, I got splashed pretty well on the final drop, getting nice, cool water on my shoulders and back. Of course Snoopy was happy to add to that! It was a nice change to my routine. Starting a hot day on the log flume is a great idea, and an even greater way to start an already lovely morning! While Vortex soared behind me, carrying its first riders of the day, I noticed how short Backlot Stunt Coaster's line was. Having not ridden this fun-but-low-capacity ride since July 2, 2015, I decided to ride it before the line got long. It was a three train wait. The attendant was diligently checking to see who was waiting/riding together with who. When she saw that I was by myself, and there was still an empty row in the station, she sent me ahead to occupy the empty row (there was a group of three in front of me so I wasn't that far) which reminded me of several similar instances at both Kings Island and Cedar Point (on Drop Tower, Delirium, Top Thrill Dragster and Millennium Force, to be exact) where they were looking for a single rider to fill an empty seat and I ended up being that single rider. The attendant sent me to the third row (first row of second car) and I boarded the Blue Train before being launched up through the parking garage and speeding past police cars, dodging "bullets", feeling the heat of the fire, and of course my favorite part - the pitch-black tunnel - and busting through the billboard before reaching the journey's end. It was a fun little ride as always. Now to take in a well-known view - and get some pictures in the process, of course - of a well-known ride as the sun illuminated it as beautifully as the rest of the park. Two weeks after my first trip of the year, I was once again face-to-face with Kings Island's oldest steel coaster, the first in the world with six inversions. While oohing and aahing and photographing, I remembered Terp's post about the old-fashioned lamps on the "Random Photo of the Day" thread when I had posted a picture of WindSeeker and Vortex with one of such lamps. That one lamp in front of Vortex's batwing had been there every single moment of all the years I've come to Kings Island (this year is my tenth season as a loyal patron!). I'm sure it stood long before I even saw Vortex for the first time. Never before had I had so many feelings for a lamp as I once again included it in my pictures. This is one of my favorite Vortex pictures to date. I have so many mid-afternoon pictures where the sun is right overhead, but with the sun at an angle, it sheds a different light on the photo opportunity (pun intended). I don't have many morning pictures like this because usually I'm speed-walking to either WindSeeker or Vortex to nab the first train/cycle of the day. After watching Vortex for a cycle and a half, it was finally time to ride. With a short line and all three trains doing their thing, I figured I could get a good number of rides in, as I decided to see if I could get the count to 310. But the count obviously wasn't the only reason I was riding. One ride on Vortex just isn't enough. Plus, I wanted to see if any of the crew members I met on last year's Closing Day would be here today! A few minutes later, Train #3 arrived to take me on my first Vortex ride of the day. Apparently the left seat harness was roped off, but it wasn't a problem for a single rider. Even though I usually ride on the left side of the train, I enjoy riding the right side as well! As I boarded, I spotted a quarter on the train's floor in front of the left seat. I picked it up as I sat down, looked at the quarter's mint year, and gasped. Since I had started finding change on rides, I always thought it would be cool if I found a coin with a mint year that matched the circa year of the ride I found it on. Six years later, that moment had finally arrived, as I saw the year 1987 on the quarter!! I had found my "Vortex quarter" at long last. I slipped it into my buttoned pocket with my camera as I pulled down and buckled the harness. The grease smell on the lift hill, the unparalleled view of the layout, and the clacking of the anti-rollback (especially the clacking heard on an Arrow) will NEVER get old!! And of course, it was a joy to speed through my first inversions of the day. During the ride, I still like to think "That was my first inversion EVER!" whenever I go through the first loop, the only loop in the world that will ever have that title. <3 And of course, I HAD to get a picture of my new coin and Train #3 after the ride. Now came the time for my first flight - a flight on none other than WindSeeker, which is five years old this year! I still remember its announcement, construction (and the webcams!), when it first opened, and my first ride on June 30, 2011, a mere nine days after it opened. As I got in line, a cycle started and it had "The High and the Mighty" playing (for those unfamiliar with the songs on the soundtrack, I have a playlist on my YouTube channel that has a number of the songs). Knowing "The High and the Mighty" plays before the "Superman Theme" I knew I would finally be on a cycle with that song for the first time in a few years. In fact, the "Superman Theme" was what played on my very first WindSeeker ride! Since wind speeds were getting up there (If I'm not mistaken, the wind speeds surpassed 20 mph but didn't surpass 30 as WindSeeker remained open) we had to wait for more people to show up before we were let on the ride, to ensure that the ride would be weighted/balanced enough to still operate safely. For that reason, I (and a number of others) waited a few extra minutes in the queue. By the time we were let on the ride there looked to be around at least 40-50 of us, or around 3/4 capacity. I very well enjoyed the "Superman Theme" as I embarked on a windy flight in Seat 21! Since I knew that more of my favorite soundtracks were coming up, and that those at the ride would wait a little longer for more riders, I had enough time to squeeze in another ride on Vortex, on which I enjoyed my second run of the day on my "special milestone" train, Train #1, that I rode on my 100th, 200th, and 300th rides. In fact, during the 148-foot lift hill ascent, I recalled the pivotal events taking place on last year's Closing Day. In other words, "Throwback Thursday" became all too real with the throwback I experienced as I gazed at the blue and orange inversions below before plunging 138 feet into yet another crazy, twisted ride. As great timing would have it, WindSeeker was lifting off the moment I exited Vortex. I got back in line right before the "Harry Potter Hedwigs Theme" cycle finished so I could ride on the next cycle with "Romantic Flight" from How to Train Your Dragon, which I enjoyed in Seat 30. That soundtrack, coupled with the climb to the top (especially when we reach the top right as the song reaches its big key change), is a truly amazing experience. It reminds me of when I rode a cycle with that song on the night of May 26, 2013, and it made for a truly spectacular flight over a brightly lit Kings Island. Day flights on the 'Seeker are fun already, but night flights are a whole new experience! One can easily tell how windy it is (and the wind's direction) up there when the "circle" becomes deformed...nevertheless, WindSeeker soldiered on in the midst of those 20+ mph winds. Not once did it experience any problems or technical delays, which I think is good for the WindSeeker that has supposedly been the most reliable of its kind in the Cedar Fair chain, if I'm not mistaken! For the "Test Drive" (also from HTTYD) cycle, I rode in Seat 48. This was the soundtrack that played during the also-spectacular ride on May 23, 2014, when I rode it during the fireworks for the very first time. Needless to say, it was great hearing it again especially during one of my windiest flights ever! I noticed the first row of empty seats swinging pretty closely to the riders sitting right behind it on the way down (I was a few rows behind). That's a glimpse of how windy it was! I'm thankful those horizontal shock absorbers were installed - I'm sure all 18 fellow riders were too! Last but certainly not least was the "Flying" cycle. Enjoyed in Seat 52, this was THE WINDIEST WindSeeker flight I have been on to date! As you will see in my ground-level video of that ride (which will be posted here at a later time as part of my video compilation), the ~40 of us riders were swinging pretty wildly up there, especially while we were coming down! WindSeeker sought, and received, a lot of wind this morning. It was quite the adventure, to say the least!! In the meantime, during the loading process, I saw a few of my new friends I had made on Closing Day. They remembered me from the wondrous occasion that took place that day. One of them asked what my Vortex ride total currently was as he checked my lap bar and I told him 304. Since it was almost time for the crew members to rotate positions, I would eventually end up seeing them again at Vortex when I would return to ride later. And yes, WindSeeker remained open for the entire trip. I wonder if it stayed open for the whole day... I returned to Vortex to continue making my way to 310 if I could before 1:00 (it was currently noon). No sooner had I arrived at the station did Train #2 arrive, in which I rode in 2-1. It was on this ride that I came up with an interesting idea. I was trying to find something to think while going down the first drop, and "I'm Flying" from Peter Pan came to mind. In a way, the lyrics can relate somewhat to the experience on Vortex! During the ride, I thought of the first, second and last verses of the song: I did modify the last verse a little to fit better with the ride. Instead of "Over bed, over chair, duck your head, clear the air" I thought "Over track, over trees, feel the heat, feel the breeze". However at the time, I didn't know all of the lyrics, so between rides 309 and 310 I looked them up. In the meantime, I was experiencing another throwback, this time to when my school performed Peter Pan this past spring (hence why I know the song) and I was a pirate. Fun times! Even now, it was fun singing the song in my head while soaring through the inversions! I decided to ride in 5-1, since I don't ride in that row very often and I thought, why not give it a spin after hearing all these things about how it's known for its smoothness? Train #1 got another turn for ride 306. The paper slip I had been using to record my rides had become detached from my travel size notepad, and as I attempted to write 1-5-1 (Train #1, car 5, row 1) on the paper I learned a lesson: My lap does not make a good writing surface, however, the fiberglass car does! So from there on out I would use the car's wall as a writing surface to jot down on my paper where I was sitting and stow the paper and pen away in my waist pack before pulling down and buckling my harness. Hooray for fiberglass! And yes, 5-1 lived up to its smoothness. It's fun, though not my preferred row as you already know. Right before ride 307, one of my friends from school began texting me. After letting her know I was at Kings Island and I was literally about to board Vortex for my 307th ride (not kidding! I was typing while walking through the queue and I hit Send right as the gates opened and I stepped onto Train #3), she did some math and found out that the number of rides I had, and assuming each ride was three minutes long, equaled over fifteen hours spent riding Vortex!! Of course, I was only texting between rides. After hitting Send and boarding the train, my harness was down and buckled when I felt my phone vibrate in my waist pack. I thought "Well, I'm eager to see what she said after the ride" as Train #3 was cleared and dispatched for ride 307. Being a rule follower, I always keep my phone zipped away in my waist pack on any ride, from the time the restraint is secured to the time it is opened after the cycle is complete. Before ride 310, I sent another text saying "310. Last ride of the day!" and my friend replied "Oh my." I always enjoy others' reactions when they hear just how many times I've ridden my favorite ride. After spending rides 307 and 308 in 6-2 and 309 in 3-1, all of which were also on Train #3, I boarded #3 again in row 7-1 for my last ride of the day. Need I say more that the ejector air is always a favorite part of riding in the back? For those who want to know: 310 rides on Vortex is roughly 930 minutes = 55,800 seconds = 15.5 hours (based on a ride length of three minutes), not to mention 1,860 inversions included in the mix!!! This lovely Thursday trip had to come to a close. But I plan to return to the Island again in two weeks! One more picture with my Vortex quarter! Thanks for reading through my adventure! I only took 39 pictures but I still had just as much fun! +Race For Your Life Charlie Brown: 1 YTD: 2 Total: 8 +Backlot Stunt Coaster: 1 Total: 4 +Vortex: 8 YTD: 10 Total: 310 +WindSeeker: 4 YTD: 5 Total: 76 Notes: -The crews I saw on the rides I rode, and not just Vortex, did a good job in guest interaction with a smile! -The efficiency I saw from The Vortex crew during the first and second hours is something I hope to see continue throughout the season! I left a compliment for them via the Kings Island website since I forgot to do so at Guest Services. -Of course, it was great seeing a few of my new friends from last year (and keeping them updated on my ride total!)! -WindSeeker really showed its reliability operating without problems in the face of those 20+ mph winds, at least while I was there! It was as if it was proving itself - "Hey, watch me operate in these winds without stranding anyone!!" -On a hot day, start on the log flume if you start your trip in that part of the park! I recommend it! -One who is familiar with Peter Pan finds it fairly easy to connect it to Kings Island experiences in a way, especially if said one is a big roller coaster fan! - WindSeeker is one of three rides (Diamondback and The Bat are the other two) on which my ride totals are approaching the 100 mark. I'll be preparing for such occasions later this season! -It is indeed possible to experience "Throwback Thursday" in real life and not just on Instagram.

I have had one Autism Spectrum Disorder - Asperger's Syndrome - though I have mostly grown out of it with the exception of a little bit that still remains to this day. I can handle lines as well as most others, and I have often found myself to be the one deciding which ride is next whenever I visit with a group. Any length of park visit is fine with me, mostly because I typically have the energy to stay all day if I could. In a nutshell, even though I (technically) have an ASD, it is mild enough that I can handle things like this as well as those without. But for those who have a more severe ASD, it's great to see the park make the proper accommodations! As for advice, I repeat the fact that each person with ASD is different in their own, unique way, and depending on their needs and preferences, be willing to adjust accordingly.

I love that song!! So glad you finally found it!!

I absolutely loved reading this and I hope to be able to do a Sunrise Tour sometime! As someone who wants to pursue engineering, getting to see the very mechanisms that make those rides work is practically a dream!!

I just contacted Kings Island via the website. Now I know what to do when I forget to go to Guest Services. Thank you all for the help!

The enthusiasm I saw at Vortex this morning was a big improvement over my previous visit. Along with asking "How was your ride?" (even if no one responded) and saying different spiels including one that I had not heard before (I didn't catch all of it as my train was rolling out of the station, but it was a rhyme that ended with "since '87"), they worked efficiently so the trains very rarely stacked, and they were smiling and looked to be having a good time interacting with guests. In fact, a few of the crew members who helped me celebrate my 300th ride were there today! It was great seeing them again! I wanted to go to Guest Services to leave a compliment, but I forgot to do it on the way out. Hopefully someone from KI sees this and gives those crew members the props they deserve!!

Today is hot, and a great day to be at the dry park. While I was there, Vortex was no more than a two train wait for any row, and WindSeeker was no more than a cycle wait depending on where the ride was in its cycle when one gets in line. Yes, WindSeeker and Drop Tower are open and operating in the face of 20+ mph winds (at least at the time of my visit)! I had some very interesting (and my windiest!) rides on WindSeeker as a result of it seeking quite a bit of (and thankfully not too much) wind!!

I was also there on May 31, but from 9:40-1:00. I also rode the rides in a completely different order. I have a trip report from that day! Sounds like you had an awesome day!

Beautiful, beautiful pictures! They should be on the Kings Island website! It sounded like an amazing time. I hope I can do CoasterStock sometime!

Here's my video compilation of the trip!

Part 2 At this point, we were fine with riding any ride we saw, since I did not have a craving for a particular ride. Zephyr was the first ride we came to so we rode that. Like with Shake, Rattle & Roll, Zephyr was finishing its cycle, so it wasn't long before we walked on and sat in a blue seat each. Even though we didn't play any games during the ride, it was still very nice and everyone was happy! Walking past X-Base, I knew from seeing it while on WindSeeker that the lines for both Firehawk and Flight of Fear would be too long, so we bypassed them. Dodgem came next. We waited one cycle before boarding our own cars and of course having a field day bumping into fellow guests. Now, it came time to ride Scrambler with its new paint, light scheme, and even a new logo on the back of each car. I absolutely cannot wait to see it lit up at night! We waited a cycle and a half for this one. It was Taylor's first time riding Scrambler (and my 17th for that matter) and she loved it! Having taken Physics at school this past year, I couldn't help but think of centrifugal force and how it makes a ride like this so fun as we and the other riders got whipped around (while enjoying it of course). [ Even though Monster's line looked a bit long, we decided to go for it anyway. Good thing we did, because the ride was just finishing its cycle, and we were the last people to make it on to the next cycle. We didn't wait long! I then saw Hannah, an employee I've seen working at Vortex, and she and I said hello. It was Taylor's first ride on Monster, and she enjoyed all the spinning and the sudden ups and downs. My favorite part of the ride is when you're on the outside as the arm descends, causing your car to suddenly drop down. I LOVE it! It was another great ride. Racer was coming up, and we wanted to ride it. Its line was also fairly long, but since both sides had opened, it moved very quickly. Taylor's dad rode with us. He sat in 5-1 while Taylor and I sat in my favorite row, 5-2, on Red Train #2. It was an amazing ride over those hills, and yes, Red won. I wanted to ride Adventure Express next. While it isn't a ride Taylor rides as often (and yes, the ride's jerkiness has to do with it), she enjoyed it this time. It was probably the wildest ride I've had all day. Those sudden turns, tunnels, and lateral G's never fail to impress, especially for one who enjoys being thrown around! Happy 25th anniversary, Adventure Express! Last, but CERTAINLY not least, a ride we had been eagerly waiting to ride all day: Banshee. We couldn't wait to fly down those drops and through those twists again! I'll say it before, but I'll say it again: I LOVE looking at that enormous loop from this angle!! You're welcome, Terp. I think it looks cool through the shade cover, especially with the sun! And of course, when framed by shade covers. You know something's big when you can't capture everything in one shot. Taylor's dad rode with us again. The three of us waited about 20 minutes (our longest wait of the day) before boarding the Aqua Green Train in Row 2. And of course, Banshee delivered the experience we had eagerly awaited. It was a fun way to end the trip, as it was 1:00 and my dad and I agreed to leave at that time. Apparently Spotlight Souvenirs is now Kids Corner... From the fun had today (including riding 12 different rides in three and a half hours), even with its few shortcomings, this was worth waiting seven months for, especially since I enjoyed it with a buddy without even planning to! Even if the park may suddenly change a policy (*cough*re-rides*cough*) it will in no way stop me (and hopefully you too) from enjoying what my home amusement park has to offer! +Diamondback: 3 Total: 86 - looks like I have another ride milestone coming up! +Race For Your Life Charlie Brown: 1 Total: 7 +Vortex: 2 Total: 302 +WindSeeker: 1 Total: 72 +Shake, Rattle & Roll: 1 Total: 17 +Zephyr: 1 Total: 20 +Dodgem: 1 Total: 6 +Scrambler: 1 Total: 17 +Monster: 1 Total: 11 +Red Racer: 1 Total: 15 +Adventure Express: 1 Total: 43 +Banshee: 1 Total: 15 Notes: -The number 17 showed up a lot today! -Diamondback's line actually got shorter right after the park opened, maybe due to a lot of people heading elsewhere in the park after rope drop -The orange on Vortex's trains is SO BOLD! It makes the running rails look almost yellow. -It was crowded, but not too crowded for 12 different rides (two of which ridden more than once) done in three and a half hours! -Like I said before, I'm hoping for some more improvement in Vortex's station atmosphere... -I did not hear the music playing on Adventure Express' second lift...though it was cool seeing the lava lighting up! -I didn't hear that song that normally plays on Banshee's lift hill -On most of the rides, the attendants often told us "Enjoy your ride" as they checked restraints. I enjoy that! -If I'm not mistaken, Arrow Dynamics designer Ron Toomer's birthday was today (May 31). In that case, I rode two of his rides (Vortex and Adventure Express) on his birthday!! Thanks for reading! I hope this helps you get stoked for your next trip to Kings Island!

Part 1 of 2 The day is finally here! The new parking entrance looks FABULOUS...though a bit confusing with all these lanes! But it's definitely an improvement over the previous entrance. Nearly seven months after the memorable night of November 1, 2015, this view now sat before me once again! ERT had just started by the time my dad and I arrived, so I had some time for a ride or two on Diamondback before the rest of the park opened. No sooner did I pass through the Gold Pass entrance that I saw a few Canada geese playing in the fountains. As I went over to take the picture, a breeze blew the mist in my direction as I smelled (and heard) the rushing water once again. I walked through Planet Snoopy before finally reaching Diamondback. On the way, I caught a glimpse of Woodstock Gliders mid-cycle, the site of the infamous "no snapping" policy change... The back of Diamondback's line was under the track coming out of the station. For my first Kings Island ride of 2016, there was an approximately five minute wait as the line moved very quickly and before long I stood in line for Row 2 (the separator let us choose where to sit). A few moments later, the Brown train arrived to take me away on a mile and two feet of hilly red track. Let me just say that the unparalleled 80 mph wind in your face is always a great way to start the season. Need I say any more? Since I was planning to ride Race For Your Life Charlie Brown next, I decided to ride Diamondback again despite the fact that it was almost 10:00 (if you know me, I'm usually right at rope drop at 10:00). After another 5 minute wait, I picked Row 16 and ended up on the Red train. I had seriously forgotten how much I liked being in the back compared to the front! Sure, the front has a breeze and a nice view, but I absolutely LOVE being pulled over the hills (especially the first one), and the best place to experience that is in the back. This second ride literally put the "back" in Diamondback! An even more surprising ride and a wet left arm (from the splashdown ) later, I was ready to go on to the next ride when I heard my name. Apparently one of my school bus friends, Taylor, was here with her parents! The funny thing was that we had talked about going to Kings Island together this summer, and now we were at the park at the same time without even planning it. Taylor and her dad had just entered the queue while I was walking out of the exit, so I got back in line and caught up with them. A few guests separated me from them, so I followed the rules and stayed where I was in line. We ended up riding the Brown train together. I rode in Row 4, and Taylor and her dad rode in row 6 for yet another fun ride! Taylor and I ended up riding rides together for the rest of the trip. I still followed my plans to ride Race for Your Life Charlie Brown - but this time with a friend! After waiting about five minutes, we ended up on Boat 17 - the same number as my age and also the bus we rode together in the past school year! We had a nice time floating through the woods - and getting splashed on the final drop. We didn't get too wet, but thanks to the Snoopy fountain both of us were speckled with drops of water. By this time it was about 20 minutes after opening. We decided to head to Vortex, which is the favorite ride for both of us! We were very excited as we walked to Coney Mall. Just like all the other trips, we were greeted by a Vortex train passing over our heads - its way of saying "hello". As soon as the loops were in my full view, I was face-to-face with the train soaring through the first loop as it has always had for the last 29 years. What a "welcome back" that was! I no longer had to wait to see this beautiful view. It had finally become reality!! Vortex's line was still short enough where we only had to wait a few minutes for the next train to arrive. Thankfully it wasn't short enough for there to be consistently empty rows, or I would have to face the near torture of not being able to reride... We stepped into 7-1 on Train #2 for my 301st ride on Vortex. Taylor has also ridden Vortex a lot since it is also her favorite ride, but she has since lost count. The sound of the chain and anti-rollback and the smell of the grease never gets old! I'm so thankful that we have an older steel coaster with characteristics that the newer coasters (like Diamondback and Banshee) don't have (and yes, abrupt transitions are one of those characteristics, and it's part of what makes Vortex Vortex). And, of course, the ejector air on the first drop felt amazing as we once again zoomed into the same six inversions experienced many times before. And I was happy to see it was not stacking! Good job, Vortex crew! However, the atmosphere in the station still has some room for improvement. The same lack of enthusiasm that was present on most of my trips last year was here again. Sure, it was nice hearing "Enjoy your ride on the 29-year old Vortex," though it was said every single time and I didn't even hear the "go upside down six times, three different ways" spiel that I heard on almost every visit last year, but it was even to the point where we weren't even asked "How was your ride?" To put that into perspective, it was the only coaster we rode where we were not asked that. On Diamondback, Racer, Adventure Express and Banshee (plus most of the flat rides we rode), we were asked every time, but not on Vortex! Is it because almost every time they ask they receive little to no response? Either way, I enjoyed my ride, but I don't want to feel sad at the end of it...I don't know what is going on, but I hope we see more enthusiasm! The mellow station atmosphere never had a chance at stopping us from riding again. This time, for Vortex Ride #302, we were on Train #2 again but in 2-1. Watching the track in front, especially during the inversions (namely the loops), really adds to the fun! Of course we could not resist a flight on WindSeeker, especially with its short line, so we headed there next. We were assigned to seats 17 and 18. This marked the second time today that I rode a ride in a seat/vehicle marked "17", the same number as my age and the bus we rode together! The song we got for our cycle was "Ride of the Valkyries," a song I had not heard on any of my WindSeeker rides in quite a while. It was a welcome change! I remembered to pretend to be Peter Pan (from my post on here where I mentioned that idea) and think "Just think lovely, wonderful thoughts, and..." as the ride lifted, "...up you go!" Taylor's mom took a picture while we were at the top. I'm still trying to find us in the picture... Needless to say, that exhilarating flight was also long overdue. WindSeeker may not be as "thrilling" as some might expect, but it sure gives you a feeling of freedom. Or if you're afraid of heights, a chance to face those fears by flying high in the sky as the world passes by...(rhyme intended)! As you can see by this three-rides-in-one shot, Taylor and I headed to Shake, Rattle & Roll after WindSeeker landed us back on solid ground safely. That person is so lucky!! Who else gets to mow the lawn with a coaster right next to you??!??!?!? Since the cycle had just finished, we walked right on and into Car 20. The attendant who let us in was also named Taylor! We had a good, fun ride on the shiny red and white LED-laden machine. I can't wait to see it at night again! Afterward, we decided to make our way down Coney Mall toward Action Zone, riding the rides we saw on the way. End of Part 1

When I was at the park today, I waited: 5 minutes or less for Race For Your Life Charlie Brown, Vortex, WindSeeker, Dodgem, Scrambler, Monster and Zephyr (granted this was near the start of the day); 10 minutes for Diamondback (during/right after ERT), Racer and Adventure Express; and 15-20 minutes for Banshee. Not bad for the day following Memorial Day (and my first trip back this year!!). (Disclaimer: My reported wait times are not 100% accurate and are solely based off of how long I waited prior to 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 31, 2016 A.D. The waits are most likely different by now, so take this report at your own risk. )

^I do! I saw it in their Story.

This got me excited because I am FINALLY going back to Kings Island tomorrow!! (On a different note, I have Snapchat too )

My dad and I are planning on going the day after Memorial Day. Are the holiday weekend crowds usually gone by then?