cdubbs727

What are you talking about? Kids come from hundreds of miles away just to hug Schroeder!

I think Kings Island is definitely a "have" park, and I think it's short-sighted to view a park's worth, importance or prestige solely on roller coasters. I live in the Detroit area, so CP is my "home" park. I like CP, but I've always loved Kings Island more. Part of it is that CP has always been a day trip. It's where you went as a teenager to scream your guts out on roller coasters. As a kid, that help little appeal until I hit 48 inches. As an adult, I love coasters, but I find myself wanting more from a park. Which is probably why it's been six years since I've visited Cedar Point and we do a two or three-day trip to Kings Island every summer. And I think Cedar Fair knows these two parks have different identities and personalities, and the way it spends its money wisely keeps the parks on brand. Cedar Point receives a lot of roller coasters -- it should. It's the roller coaster capital of America and its identity has always been tied to thrill rides. That's what Cedar Point does, and Cedar Fair throws money at it accordingly. I feel like Kings Island has always been more of a family destination. There's a greater number of hotels in the area (aside from the Cedar Point property hotels, Sandusky is pretty slim pickings for places to stay), which means you likely have more people making a day trip of it (admittedly, that could also be my limited perspective as someone who had a two-hour drive to CP and a four-hour drive to KI). They have always had a larger, better kids area than CP, which means it's likely more people went there as children and built memories. Hence, throwing a lot of money at renovations this year that made it feel like the KI many people grew up with, including that wonderful renovation to International Street, the Antiques (with their callbacks to KI history) and even The Beast pawprints. None of that likely came cheap; it's a smart brand investment. Kings Island doesn't need a ton of coasters -- one every few years is great. I was more excited to see fresh paint on the International Street buildings and a quality fireworks/fountain show. I'd be happier to see a charming dark ride than a giga. And I think that's what Cedar Fair knows...there's a lot of nostalgia tied up in Kings Island and it's smart to throw money at it. You'll bring in parents and their children and you'll establish Kings Island as a place with a storied history (I wish Cedar Fair leaned more into the 100-year heritage of Cedar Point).

I know part of the building is used as a theater for kids' shows (Space Beagle is in there this summer). But from my recollection, that theater space is really small -- and I don't think Boo Blasters takes up a ton of space (I could be wrong)...and it stops on the opposite end from where EV started. Not sure whether they use the rest of the building for storage or not...perhaps the track does go further than I thought. I never rode EV in its original iteration; the first year I went to the park was the year that the Smurfs Enchanted Voyage was opened. That was my favorite ride as a child -- it delighted and terrified me (not that Gargamel was all that scary, but I always had a fear of the boats stopping and the lights shutting off). I rode BB several times this year with my kids and was disappointed. The volume seemed extremely low at points, the blasters don't make any noise (did they ever?) and it just feels like an after-thought (although my kids loved it). I wish they'd gut it and put a special dark ride in there. Honestly, I'd take that over a giga.

Took our annual trip to KI this year (from Detroit). It was especially meaningful to me because it was the way I chose to celebrate my 40th birthday. A trip to Kings Island for my 30th found me a bit miserable; being able to take a trip with my wife and two kids (son, 7, and daughter, 3) was wonderful, and I was glad my mom, along with my sister and her kids, decided to join us. Was a bit surprised to find crowds generally lighter on Sunday than on Monday. Not that Monday was slammed, our longest wait was probably 30 minutes for The Beast, but it was still a bit noticeable. But it was another great year. A few notes. I love the new look of International Street. The pavers are great, the new paint on the buildings really adds to the festivity, and I love the new look of the fountains. Sure, it took a little bit of time to get over the missing pedestals, but it really looks sleek and fun. Also, I don't have to yell over the roar of the fountains anymore. I love Kings Island's kids area. It's a great training ground for my kids. My 3yo daughter was able to do The Great Pumpkin Coaster this year and she was hands-up all the way. My son, who is a bit more timid than I was at his age, finally conquered Woodstock Express (it's always and forever The Beastie to me) and Surf Dog. He might have bit off more than he could chew by doing Mystic Timbers next...he was not ready for that. But, undeterred, he went on like a champion and found new favorites in Adventure Express and Backlot Stunt Coaster. For anyone who calls for their removal, I'd just say they are fantastic middle steps for young kids who can't do the bigger coasters but still want to push themselves. Next year, maybe he'll try The Racer and The Bat. The Beast at 40 is still a mean, at times painful, coaster. I loved every agonizing mile. Mystic Timbers grows on me every year. It's one of my absolute favorites in the park. I just love how fast it is...you don't stay in your seat for more than five seconds at a time. That said, I might be aging out of The Vortex. It's still a muscular, fun ride. But man, did my head pay the price. Speaking of muscular, I was surprised to find just how well The Racer holds up after all these years. Still packs a punch. I did, unfortunately, have to do my first walk of shame, as I was a bit too...husky?...for Flight of Fear. Was a bummer, but at least it was the only one I had to deal with that on. Gives me a new fitness goal...get back on next year. Loved looking at the teaser posters in the old Firehawk site. Was a lot of fun to come back to our motel (good ol' Shaker Inn) and follow the day's developments. I also think at one point on Monday I spotted Don Helbig walking from back by FoF onto the Coney Mall midway (his nametag said Don and it looked like him). I work as a writer in marketing, journalism and PR and should have introduced myself and asked about job opportunities (lol) but he looked like a man on a mission. I loved the new antiques. What I loved most was the signage and callbacks to Kings Island history throughout. I kept telling my wife how much fun it had to be to write and design all that. The thing that impressed me the most this year was all the attention paid to Kings Island history throughout the park. From the restored colors on International Street to The Beast paw prints to the new glockenspiel on Festhaus, Kings Island really honored its heritage this year, and it made me feel like I was able to show my kids what the park was like when I was their age. Sitting alongside the fountain waiting for the fireworks, it made me get a bit choked up. Speaking of which, I loved the new fireworks/fountain show. I've always appreciated the fireworks, but the coordination with the music and the fountains just made it a special way to end the night. My kids were dancing throughout it. I also thought the service at the park was fantastic throughout this year. The ride operators were all energetic and I had a lot of fun listening to some of them throw out the wrong rides/bizarre stats while we were in line. Many of the retail workers responded with a "my pleasure" when I thanked them for helping me, which is so much nicer than "you're welcome" or "no problem." At one point, I was an idiot and wore a baseball cap on Surf Dog. It blew off and landed in the area under the ride. Some supervisors were extremely helpful at telling me how to retrieve it at the end of the night and the employee working at Lost and Found was extremely helpful. As someone who's spent hours in line trying to exit Cedar Point's parking lot, it's always refreshing to get out of Kings Island's lot so quickly. Both nights, we were back at our hotel thirty minutes after the park closed (when you have young kids who are exhausted after a long day, that's a huge help). Another great year. Maybe one of my best years in my nearly 30 going to Kings Island. Great rides, great food and great memories all around.

Dang...we're going Sunday and Monday and I was really hoping to convince my son to overcome his fear of it this year.

It's not like they were floating away. But they were definitely off the ground.

Very true. But parking close to our car an navigating one row is easier and safer than walking across the whole parking lot at night, especially when you have young people driving like maniacs trying to get to the exit.

Its possible my brain is mis-remembering what the news called it; it was a funnel cloud that never touched down. But it definitely hit Water Works 20-25 years ago, blew the tenting off the top of one of the slides.

So, the discussion about trams earlier got me thinking about a really weird memory I had from KI from probably about 25 years ago or so. I remember we were at the park on a day where it was particularly rainy; we're talking downpours, and I think a waterspout was actually spotted at Water Works. We came out that afternoon to leave the park and go get some dinner, and the parking lot was flooded. It was so flooded close to the park, in fact, that several cars were actually floating. Does anyone else ever remember this happening? (Not that day, but I assume if it happened then it might have been a common occurrence). My grandpa used to have video of it, but I'm sure it was lost to time. Any other weird KI memories you all have?

Kings Island's parking lot isn't huge, and the app alleviates the problem of having to remember where you parked. But I do wish they had the trams. It would make a big difference with kids. It's nerve-wracking to walk with them through the parking lot, especially at night when people are often not paying attention to where they're going and kids have a tendency to run and wander. Also, at the end of the day, us and our kids are usually so tired from walking that a tram would be a great way to ease our legs a bit and restore our energy before the drive back to the hotel.

Honestly, the older I get, the less interested I become in them adding a roller coaster. I'm sure whatever they add will be fun and I'll ride it and enjoy it, but I'm more excited about all the nostalgic things they added this year than anything they've done in the past (and I say that as a big Mystic Timbers fan). In the next five years or so, I'd love to see a lot of attention paid to Action Zone. Re-theme it to something. Tear out Invertigo, Congo Falls and maybe even Timberwolf (I have a lot of Spirit Song memories there, though) and put some fun attractions, not necessarily coasters. A heavily themed, innovative water ride, maybe some really unique thrill rides and a nice outdoor dining area. Other things I'd love for them to focus on in the next few years: * Do something with Fountain Garden, which right now is basically just a really gross, sparse smokers stroll. Maybe make it an outdoor museum of Kings Island history, with models of older roller coasters, plaques and signage commemorating old attractions, even videos of old commercials. I remember loving that area when it was owned by Paramount because it was a nice distraction. Now it's just a place where people go to smoke cancer sticks. * Re-theme and re-open International Restaurant, maybe as a coaster-themed bar and grill. * Gut Boo Blasters and turn it into a peaceful, family friendly dark ride attraction. * Either tear down the old Crypt building or create some sort of immersive indoor attraction in there. Right now, it's just a waste of space except for storage and Haunt stuff. It's not quite the eyesore Disaster Transport was (since that was spoiling lakefront views at Cedar Point) but it's still pretty atrocious. * Won't happen, but close Backlot Stunt Coaster. Raze the ride and make it a collection of flats and family friendly attractions. * Add some tables around the base of the Eiffel Tower, add a few cafe/coffee/drink options to make that a fun gathering place. * Rebuild a campground. Even if it's off-site and you need to add a shuttle service. * Another thing that won't happen: Bring back the trams. The walk from the front gate to the back of the parking lot at the end of the day is exhausting for people with kids.

Reading all these and seeing those photos makes me a bit disappointed we've planned our trip for July 28-29, when this will all be long gone. :-( But hopefully it becomes an annual thing! Really impressive.

I feel like a Charlie Brown-themed dark ride would still be more interesting than the knock-off haunted house/shooter they have now (but again, my kids love it). I liked the idea someone had a few posts up. Enter through a dog house and then have the dark ride just be a year in the life of Charlie Brown and his friends, going through the different seasons. Just a fun, relaxing, happy ride. Yes, it is basically exactly what the Smurfs Enchanted Voyage did, but why not homage one of the park's classics? I'd rather there be something special there than the boring Boo Blasters (and young kids need a quiet, relaxing ride. The Whirlybirds are the only one right now).

Boo Blasters bores the heck out of me, and I always compare it to the better rides that were there (I'm old enough to remember Smurf's Enchanted Voyage and Phantom Theater, both of which I love). However, my kids LOVE it. It's their favorite ride in the park because it's fun/scary to them. My son loves to shoot the ghosts and my daughter loves that it makes her feel brave. There's a part of me that wants to say 'get this ride out of here' and another part of me that would hate to see it go because my kids love it so much. Then again, I sometimes feel like if they'd had a chance to enjoy Phantom Theater, they would also be bored by Boo Blasters. But in the end, it's kind of silly for adults to call for the park to change a kid ride because we're not the target audience for this particular attraction. I'd be curious to know what the ridership for it is ... it always has a pretty good line when we go there.

The smell of The Beast's station on a warm day. The scent of Funnel Cakes drifting out on IS. The acrid stench of cigarettes polluting Fountain Garden.

I think this is a key point. Adults can suck it up and just abide by the rules (but rudeness is never called for). But kids shouldn't have to sit next to someone if they aren't comfortable. We'll be taking my son and his cousins in July and there will likely be times where one of them is riding their first coaster by themselves and want to sit right in front of us. They shouldn't have to compound their anxiety by being placed with someone they aren't comfortable with. (Just like I'd say they should use caution when assigning single riders with members of the opposite sex).

As someone who suffers from social anxiety, I understand that discomfort. But really, I've never minded. Most people, I've found, just keep to themselves. Those who are chatty usually have something fun to say; I've learned they're often the enthusiasts and they love to talk about the ride. I think being paired with kids is uncomfortable, mostly because it's like "am I responsible for this kid if his restraint breaks and he flies out?" But really, I've learned most the time the discomfort is my own and I just need to relax.

I echo the Backlot Stunt Coaster disappointment. Here was Paramount promising a unique roller coaster experience, but it just looks shoddy and fake, and in the years post-Paramount, it makes no sense to have a movie stunt roller coaster in the middle of the park? Why not just at least call it "The Heist" or "The Getaway" or something like that -- none of the theming has anything to do with making a movie anymore, why not just lean into the action? I like BLSC for what it is, but the ads promised so much more. But by and large, aside from the first few years of Tomb Raider, Paramount's hype never lived up to it. The cache of a movie studio brought to mind Universal or Disney, but really the theming wasn't anything special. Face/Off had no theming. FoF had a great queue, but there's no theme to the ride itself. Drop/Zone had no theming, and if you'd ridden "Back to the Future," I don't see how you could be anything but let down by "Days of Thunder." Top Gun had the aircraft carrier walkthrough, which was kind of cool, but it was still just average amusement park decor. The park did much better theming wise with Adventure Express way before Paramount took over. I don't really count the Mystic Timbers ad as bad hype. Sure, "What's in the Shed" was a bit of a letdown (how could it not be?). But the thing that counts -- the ride -- is one of my favorites in the park.

Do we know that they didn't have to do anything? It's quite possible (I have no information or plumbing knowledge) that the pedestals were a maintenance nightmare that would otherwise have to be fully overhauled. But I agree wholeheartedly with @Creed Bratton. And the fact is, even with the new fountains (whether you like them or not), Kings Island still has one of the most beautiful opening sections in any park. And they double-down on its look and feel. Living in Detroit, my home park is Cedar Point. And I love CP for what it is -- a thrill park. But I hate CP's main Midway. Kings Island's International Street sets a great tone and it's a great place to go when you're a bit tired of lines and rides. CP's midway is basically "You're here for the roller coasters. Just shut up and get going."

There's a sense in which KI can't win here with the fan community. The fountain is an iconic piece of King Island; that view upon walking in to the park is the first view we have, and it's what we identify with the park (the sound of the water, for instance, tweaks my nostalgia just as much as the site of it). And there's a sense in which nothing Kings Island could do would please fans because it's simply different from what we're used to. Something has changed. In time, that won't matter, but love for a park is rooted so heavily in nostalgia that even a small change to an iconic piece of park history is going to feel off. That said, I haven't been to the park this year (we'll be getting down there probably in late July). What I've seen, I like. The colors really pop on IS. Those pavers are beautiful. I love that the streets look wider and could be less congested. And even though I miss the pedestals, I like the cleaner look of a show fountain. It's a bit less regal (royal?) but I think it still fits. In a few years, it will feel just right -- and if they incorporate it into a great evening show, all the better.

@Pedro Cerrano and @Magenta Lizard -- Yes!!!! I was searching to remember what they looked like (I couldn't recall if I was thinking of the clear plastic juice barrels school sometimes gave) -- but that picture...yes!!!! Man, that take me back!

Yes, but are the concession wagons going to sell the little plastic barrels of juice? That would up the game from my childhood (I feel like that's what they sold; I could very well be misremembering). Also, it is truly remarkable how much care Kings Island is showing to the park. I've said it elsewhere, but it's so easy to toss in a new attraction to entice people. But to make an investment in nostalgia is truly special. I usually hate the way movies and TV exploit our love for childhood things, but I feel like a theme park is a different matter. You are going to recapture some portion of your childhood, and there are so many little things that have a precise chemical impact on people. A sign with a certain color paint. Music. Beast paw prints. Going to KI is going to bring a lot of people to tears this year.

The campground was great -- it was affordable and a great way to do a cheap trip to the park with friends (we went down to Spirit Song a few years in a row and would camp there). I'm bummed it's gone. We did stay a few years at Morgan's Canoe and Camping, which is about a 15-minute drive from the park. It's a beautiful site -- we camped right by the river. Only problem is it's a rustic site, and getting back to the campground stinky, sweaty and exhausted -- and in the dark -- isn't a ton of fun. In my twenties? Sign me up. Pushing 40? I'll just call a hotel, lol.

I love all the TLC that Cedar Fair is showing Kings Island this year. It's an easy solution to toss a new roller coaster in the park and bring in new people. It's a different beast (no pun intended) altogether to spend a year acknowledging the park's history and the role that nostalgia plays in bringing many back to the park. I get excited for a new coaster like anyone else. But to see a glockenspiel on the Festhaus, The Beast prints on the ground, the return of the Antiques...there's an almost chemical response that hits the same feelings I had when I was a kid in the '80s attending the park with my grandparents. This is what makes me want to come back year after year with my kids and why even though Cedar Point would technically be my "home park" (I live in the Detroit area), I go to Kings Island every year and haven't been to CP in about five.

Congrats! Third month, at least she probably won't be miserable walking around the park. But there's not a ton to do for pregnant women at Kings Island. A few years back, my wife was pregnant with our second child and we made the trip to KI from Detroit when she was eight months pregnant (we would have cancelled, but this was for my son). She could ride Boo Blasters, the carousel and the Eiffel Tower and...that's about it. We even tried to head to Water Works so she could do the lazy river; nope, she got kicked out of that, too. Add to the fact that it was hot and, oh yeah, she was eight months pregnant, at it was pretty miserable. But! At three months, the discomfort is usually not as high! And if your fiancee is okay sitting out rides, there's still so many shows to see, places to eat, things to do. Should still be a fun trip (just don't be the jerk that I was and run off to ride a few rides while she sits by the fountain eating LaRosa's.)