DJSkyFoxx

Ride wise-Vortex Event wise-Fear Fest. * I saw someone mentioned that it was actually scary and I concur. I mean. I was a teenager back then and I wasn't easily scared even in those days, but it definitely was not the "family friendly" Haunt we have now. I would compare this to the store Hot Topic. I was a huge fan of it was a high schooler. It was truly a dark, gothic store with an edge. A place parents questioned bringing their kid into ( unless you had my parents of course ) and the Hot Topic of now is nowhere near what it was back 20 something years ago. Same with Haunt.

10-4. I might add thought I did get to ride WindSeeker on 6/2 despite said wind while DT was down. I left around 5PM.

I went this past Saturday. Got there roughly around 5PM and Drop Tower was running with a load of riders. Got inside. Did a Banshee ride and headed over to Drop Tower just to see that it was down. It did not open the rest of the night as I was there well past close waiting to get a Beast night ride. I will also add that it was down when I went on Sunday 6/2 the entire time I was there. Seems the ol' tower of drops is having a rough season. Hoping to be able to catch a few rides on it this year but I fear I keep catching it on bad days.

I often imagine what they could have done with the original pedestals. They definitely could have been modified to help create a more modern effect and like mentioned on here already, add some fancy LEDs and such. But I sure do miss the actual "royal" appearance the opening entrance gave when walking up to the fountains. They could have totally taken the old and made it new again but kept that classic appeal.

Don't give them any ideas. This ride might end up with a Mt. Dew Baja Blast wrap and then some spiel about being "sponsored by Mt. Dew Baja Blast" On a more serious note, it is a really nice color and my fiancé and I plan to make a trip next year to experience KD!

The thing is, until more severe action is taken, this will continue to be a problem without any real consequence. For example, and I'm certain some of you have witnessed this as well, the Fast Lane line does not seem to be monitored as strictly as previous seasons due to the new QR scanners. Or so I've personally noticed thus far this season. Anyways, while going through the Orion FL line, there was a group of three teenage boys standing in said line. I noticed none of them had wristbands nor did they have single use vouchers. They told my friend and I to go ahead of them. I clocked what they were doing right away and I am sadly disappointed about the fact that I was right. As we made our way into the themed pre-station, the three boys came up and cut across to the main line without being noticed. THAT really ticked me off that they not only were able to just slide into the main line, but that literally no one was paying attention except for me. One of the boys kept looking back at me like he knew I was watching. I will admit, I enjoyed making him feel uncomfortable. But the truth of the matter is this. I REALLY thought about reporting the occurrence to security, but I knew that I would encounter two issues. First and foremost, the main line was actually moving faster than the FL line. They were way ahead and out of view so I knew that I would not even get a chance to report to a ride op about what just happened. Secondly, the whole stance on there needing to be more than one report of the offending parties really just turned me off from even bothering to attempt it. I really wanted to, believe me. But knowing that little to nothing would be done was what turned me off from it. I think there just needs to be a better system implemented. Sad to say, but maybe install security cameras in the lines so when folks DO report line jumpers, even if it is one single person reporting it, they can playback video and have proof. Just my two cents.

I would have definitely gotten the premium drink plan if iced coffee was an option because that's all I drink as far as coffee goes. Well, that and cold brew. I like the fact that they are less acidic and cold brew offers more caffeine. Maybe next season that will be an option. I don't care if its a house made coffee. Or even one of those machines like gas stations have that you can get your iced coffee out of.

Even if we just get a new SC slide of some sort, that's better than nothing at all. It's easy to get caught up in the camp of wanting a new coaster as I know personally that would be ideal for many reasons. Not just because I love roller coasters as much as the next person on here, but also because a roller coaster can run through the fall season unlike a water ride. But I have realized that any new installation is a good thing especially with the state of the industry as a whole. There are SO many parks within the CF chain that haven't gotten a new coaster of any variety let alone a new flat ride or water ride. We are fortunate to have gotten Adventure Port last year, a new family coaster this year and very possibly something new for SC next year if these little tiny hints bear any weight. I just took a look at Moosehorn Falls and that looks like a pretty interesting slide, for the record.

I share this same thought honestly. That coaster truly is INSANELY ambitious. Exciting to think about and almost impossible to wrap one's head around. I think even when the construction is complete I still won't believe that coaster is actually real life and not some OLED image projected off someone's No Limits game. But yeah. I can't imagine that coaster not having tons of downtime if not similar/worse train issues when opening day comes. Hopefully it won't be the nail in the coffin for them, but like you said, its every bit possible for this to be their X. Or even KI's SoB. Hoping not, but we will see.

All of this I concur with. Vortex was a household name/ride within the park. One of the staples. When talking about Kings Island, to this day, people still mention The Vortex. And there are still a ton of people I interact with that didn't realize its been gone for as long as it has been now. The reaction is always the same. Sad face. It was so many people's first BIG roller coaster and first coaster with inversions. It got pretty rough in the last leg of it's life. Good days and bad days. I definitely remember my last ride on it, the last day of operation to be exact, being one of the best I'd had in a long time. Almost like it knew it's time was up so might as well put on a good show. It was bittersweet and sad. I got lots of pictures and videos. I still need to take time to post them as there can never be enough photos or videos of this now defunct legend. Loved it or hated it, you remembered it. I just don't want to see some generic, thoughtless, coaster/ride go in its place. If KI continues with the trend of honoring the past, especially something as iconic and legendary as Vortex was, I remain optimistic that something amazing will occupy that special plot of land. And it would be really neat if the paint scheme could be similar. That dark blue and orange simultaneously popped yet blended in with the beautiful trees in the backdrop. I don't know how to describe it any other way than that, but I think most of you can understand what I mean. And ah yes. The chain lift. I think just about any coaster lover has an affinity for a good old Arrow chain lift. That sound in and of itself is so iconic and I miss hearing it along with all of the other well-known Arrow looper sounds. The old air-brakes. The specific sounds the trains made while traversing the course, the rattle of the structure. I miss sitting at LaRosa's having a bite to eat and being right next to it. I could go on. But I think I've made my point. Vortex was part of the fabric of the park for a good chunk of it's existence. The park was a mere 15 years old when Vortex debuted. Pretty crazy to think about it like that. It truly was one of the foundations of our beloved park.

I appreciate the fact that despite the two coasters being similar, they are also different enough to provide their own unique experience. I haven't made my way to HW yet this year but I am hoping to make that happen as I haven't been back since 2017. It's good to see that they recycled the old Pilgrim's Plunge/Giraffica ride station and spruced up that area of the park.

In the mean time while the trains are being fixed, Cedar Point will be taking contestants to see how fast and how high one can get up the structure. Person who gets the furthest wins a pass perk or voucher for Buy 4 get One half off cup of cooler water from the VIP Lounge

Can start keeping a tally of how many days out of the regular season that it has been open

I highly doubt that big of a plot of prime real-estate would be kept empty just for a drone pad. The pad itself isn't even that big and that is definitely something they can place elsewhere with little to no real effort whenever it is they decide to place something in that plot. I will say though, its frikken wild that it has already been 5 years without Vortex and 6 without Firehawk. I know I'm not alone in really missing Vortex. Even on the days I chose not to ride it I sure miss seeing that beautiful Arrow flying through the tree-tops of Coney Mall. And I miss all the sounds it used to make. Really added to the atmosphere of that section of the park. Arrow loopers have such a unique "personality" so to speak. It sure has felt empty without that twisted steel giant. I really miss standing by The Bat-wing and watching people fly through it. Always a fun people watching spot. If my dream Vekoma looper comes to fruition I can't help but hope they put a similar element in that spot to honor Vortex. That was such an iconic photo spot.

I really appreciate that they take good care of our Arrow suspended coaster. I remain hopeful The Bat gets to take many many more flights over the years to come. Looking forward to going back and getting a few laps in myself this season.

THIS. Another thought has always crossed my mind as well- I've always put carts back whether it be in a cart corral or smaller stores that have them inside. I always think to myself "I would hate if this hit someone's car and scratched it up. I wouldn't want that to happen to me". And really just the simple gesture of putting things where they belong. Very pre-school 101 there. And cleaning up after oneself-that's also very pre-school 101. You make the mess, you clean it up. Even while out to eat at a sit-down establishment I was taught from an early age how to consolidate dishware to make it easier for wait staff to grab things and make it less of a pain for them to get the table ready for the next person. All of these things I still practice today because it literally is the easiest thing to not be a jerk.

Non-KI related but related to the above comments about courtesy and respect for others and property. I made a trip back home to Indy to visit not too long ago and took a walk on the canal walk. When Indy hosted the Super Bowl ( which still feels wild to say that ) folks were commissioned to paint murals down there to spruce it up and add something special for the expectant crowds. Needless to say, when I took a walk down there recently I was incredibly disheartened to see that people had defaced one of the large underpass murals to the point of it looking downright unrecognizable. And my favorite underpass mural had a cage placed over it so no one could do the same to it and so no one could steal any more of the mirrored pieces that make up the scales of the dragon. For these murals having been there for so long, 2012 I believe, and here we are in 2024. What happened? Are kids and people just so far gone from decency and respect that no one cares for anything or anyone anymore? It just saddens me greatly. So again, the Indy canal walk is not KI, but it all ties back to the lack of respect for property and other folks. I fear that the level of decency in humans is all but a rare trait these days. People cry and whine about not having nice things but when given nice things and then they trash them...its just this very spoiled mentality of "oh they'll replace it. It's not my job to care. It's their job to fix it or pick it up. Me Me Me"

I decided to watch the show from the webcam as I didn't want to be out late leaving the park last night and driving home, but even from the webcam POV, it looked to be leaps and bounds a far better show than last years. Looking forward to doing an evening/night visit to see it in person.

Another non-alcoholic drink stand is definitely needed. But my fear is, will they actually keep it staffed? I know Tower Drinks is on and off staffed. The drink station over by the train is often not staffed. And what is with the drink station by LaRosa's in Rivertown never being staffed? I get that a lot of you have said because they don't turn as much of a profit for the all day/all season drink options, but goodness it's frustrating trying to find a place to get something to drink and either having to wait in a long food stand line to get one or walk across the park for a drink to a station that happens to be open. I was truly shocked to see Tower Drinks opened yesterday ( and sadly without my beloved fountain Cherry Coke-albeit the fact that I have all but given up soda, this was a treat to myself that I later got at Tom&Chee ). The drink stand in Adventure Port was open as it normally seems to be. But other than that I didn't see the River Town drink station open which is fairly common anymore except on busy days. I don't recall seeing the drink station in Coney Mall open either. It just felt like I had to work a lot harder to get a drink and that was pretty frustrating. It really makes me almost wish they would upcharge the ticket and pass prices to just include unlimited drinks with the cost of admission so one can self service much like Holiday World does. That way you can drink as much as you want without having to staff drink stations and not have to worry about whether or not this place or that place will be open and so on. I get it though. It makes too much sense and not enough cents

Since renewing my pass I've been a bit slow on the go getting to the park for XYZ reasons. But a buddy of mine from work was at the park yesterday and asked if I wanted to come out and ride with him. I decided to go ahead and get my first visit in for the season. I didn't really get a chance to survey Camp Snoopy as we were on a mission to ride as much as we could in the short window of time we had ( I fully intend to really take some time to look at everything on my next visit ) but I did get a chance to give the Soapbox a whirl. The station is really neat. Looks awesome. They made it feel like an actual campsite building. There may or may not have been anything missed seeing as we were in the FL que and were the only two queued up for it in said line. My friend was letting me take the reins on asking for specific seats for the day and I politely requested the very back car. The line sep told me that the family in the regular line before us had already requested it, but she kindly placed us in row 8 so we could be as far back as possible. I kindly thanked her and we queued up. We waited for the current train to dispatch and complete its cycle full of riders before it was our turn. When it returned to the station and it was our turn to board, some folks with green slips ended up in our row. Then the folks who had requested row 10 before us told us we could go ahead and take their seats as they had already been on a couple of times. I waved and yelled a big thank you to them as we slipped quickly through the gates and made our way to row 10. Upon sitting in the seat, I will note that the cars are very comfortably designed. Like. This has to be one of the most comfortable family coasters I've ever sat in. At least to me, personally. I felt just snug enough that I felt secure but not so snug that it was without some ability to move. Felt like a nice little recliner in a way. Plenty of leg room too. As soon as we were all checked, they dispatched the train. The kicker tires promptly pulled us backwards with power and efficiency. I looked behind us and realized this thing has a fair amount of height for being a family coaster. Then we were released and away we went. And I gotta say what a wonderfully smooth-gliding machine this thing is. It sailed through the course with a nice little bit of force. That's part of why I wanted the very back because I knew that the chances of feeling what this little family coaster had to offer would be likely towards the back and I was not wrong. Going backwards was just silly fun. Before ya know it, you're parked back inside the station. My consensus? This thing is just pure fun. Even for it being a family-style coaster, it is very re-ridable. Just the right amount of forces to be thrilling for little ones looking for that next step up and enough to make veteran coaster lovers/thrill seekers happy because it's just a good time. This is a solid little installation and one that I will definitely be taking a few laps on. No shame as an adult rider. I am all for the big bad thrills of varying coaster and flat ride varieties, but I really have a soft spot for these kinds of rides as they are just a good time and I think that's just as important to have in a ride collection as any large thrill attraction. Its a nice way to break things up. All in all, great job Vekoma and KI! Makes me want that big mega looper from Vekoma (hint hint ). Because if this little family ride is this nice, I can only imagine what a major installation from them would be like!

I am too. And have preciously shared this sentiment as well. But if the trains were to no longer be serviceable I would rather them put the Vekoma floorless styled trains on it rather than them tear it down all together.

I said the exact same thing in another post on here in regards to our old pal The Bat lol

Ah man! Hopefully the testing is successful enough to get her operational again. Planning a late summer trip per traditional post-bday gift to myself some time in August and of course I am hopeful to get to ride TT2.

This. All day. This. I am a smaller athletic build and even I find these seats/restraints awful. I would argue to say that an old Arrow looper's trains are more comfortable than these.

I will say this again. I really really wish they would just have some visual meter of some sort that actually SHOWS you your count towards whatever thing you're trying to get. For example, show (number of visits) out of say 4 needed to redeem for said discount. Show an actual visual representation so people can actually have a grasp on what's happening. People have that hardwired pleasure/rewards part of their brain that LOVES that stuff. Physically seeing it would feel less like casting all hopes into the void. Just saying. The park app updates were nice but this easily could have been implemented!