Magenta Lizard

Doesn't even need to be a big flat. I think Coney Mall is begging for something like a tilt-a-whirl on Flight Commander's pad.

^especially since the drinks-only station directly across from Tom+Chee doesn't have the cups (or water on their machines, I believe, although there is the bottle-filling water fountain on the side of the building), and direct people asking for free water cups to T+C.

Shhhh, I've avoided mentioning it cuz I like it not being busy

I was a little disturbed by the green engine pulling red cars. I have a young friend I made through Cirque who also loves the trains, and I mentioned the change in passing to his mother before one of the shows (he was off playing with some of the other kids elsewhere at the time). She said that he was also disturbed by the change, and he noticed it because he had been watching the trains running the day before on the webcams. Later she asked him to tell me about it, and he was clearly personally offended about the change although I'm not sure he realizes that would be the name for that emotion yet They switched it back though and all is right with the world again. I also hope the green cars get a new paint job, too, because the red ones are looking very nice now.

^um, oops!

Want. To. Ride!

^ things like that are almost always, in my experience, started by a ride op as filler specifically because there is something already causing a delay, to keep the people stuck in restraints occupied and distracted.

Well, they've already changed once (Hand2Hand switched out for Cyr duo). I haven't heard any specific rumors, but it is always a possibility.

-What sort of Roller Coasters would you recommend for someone who isn't a big Coaster enthusiast? Adventure Express, The Bat, maybe Backlot Stunt Coaster, and Woodstock Express is a fun small wooden coaster. Racer, maybe, but be sure to sit in a middle row of one of the three-row cars. -What do you like Shows wise? Origins, a Cirque Experience, hands down -How early should you get a spot for the Fireworks? Where would you suggest? You can actually see them pretty well from a good portion of the park, from the parking lot, from Great Wolf Lodge and it's parking lot. If you do ride Racer, ride the blue side and you will get a good view of the place where the fireworks shoot from, in a field near the turnaround of the coaster. A really good spot to watch is the top of the Eiffel Tower but I suspect you would need to get up there hours before, on July 4th. If you don't watch from the parking lot (or surrounding areas outside the park), expect it to be a good hour before even bothering trying to leave. Traffic flow out of the lot is not great at the best of times and it is likely to be at capacity on the 4th, with nearly all those people staying for fireworks.

It is currently open

I'm going tomorrow anyway. I considered switching to Friday in hopes storms/threat of storms would keep people at home but I worry it would just backfire with everyone who bought tickets coming anyway, wandering around with no rides open, and no one will want to be at Soak City (making it even more crowded). I have plenty of other things I can entertain myself with at the park if lines get too bad, and if it gets simply too crowded I could leave early (who am I kidding? ;)) I'll report back tomorrow and maybe it can give you some idea how Friday will be?

^ welcome to KIC! I hadn't noticed those before, I'll have to check it out

^well for example, here is a video that shows both some of the cool slacklining tricks they can do when just fooling around, as well as the reason why it might be a bad idea to do them onstage:

You can do it! As you ascend, focus on the scenery and the backstage areas you can't see from the ground. When you get near the top, the speed slows greatly before reaching the actual top. Look at one of the tall structures like a coaster nearby, and compare it to things behind it so you can see you are still rising even though you don't feel it. Soon it will actually stop, and there will be a mechanical clank. Start counting. At about 6 or 7, you will feel the addicting adrenaline rush of descent. Expect to walk out the exit gate ready to take on the world!

It's a new slack line/tight rope performer, and he often does more difficult tricks than last year's did. However, he has scaled back a little since the beginning. When people mention that the things the performers do aren't as spectacular as something they've seen on some YouTube video, I like to point out that these performers can do much more difficult things than are in the show. But, these are the things they can do consistently and safely (usually) 19 shows a week with only one day off (and I'm certain there are rehearsals in the mix on top of that). I think maybe the load of those 19 shows have caused him to scale back but he is still very impressive. One show he missed what he was trying to do, flipped around the line at his waistline and managed to land on his feet in front. It was a truly spectacular save, because it looked for a moment he was headed face first for the mat.

It's been much lighter on the brake run since toward the end of last season. I love it too!

Even though I've rode a few dozen times now, I'm still finding new things about the shed. Yesterday I noticed

So to answer my own question from earlier, yes, they do open at 11

Pork is pretty low-calorie for meat (if you bypass the sauce), and protein tends to be filling. Eat just the meat without the bun, and probably skip the sides (beans would probably straddle the calorie/filling ratio the best of the sides they offer tho, if you're worried about being too hungry afterward). I'm still craving the corn pudding, probably going to need to have some again tomorrow. Does anyone know if the Smokehouse opens at 11?

^ I haven't noticed the addition of Mystic Timbers reducing Beast lines by any means, personally. I feel like it has increased lines at Beast. At least /something/ is. Days when crowds are at a level where I expect to see the line ending somewhere along the ramp leading up to the station, instead the entire queue (except lower) is filled. I actually haven't even ridden Beast most of my last (weekday only) several visits because the lines are longer than I'm willing to spend. Both Mystic Timbers and Diamondback often seem to have shorter wait times than Beast. If anything, I would say it is taking traffic from Diamondback, but adding it to Beast.

Yes, the front gate opens at 9:30 (parking gates open at 9). Only gold and platinum passholders can go back farther in the park than near the front gates until 10, but you'll be able to enjoy the fountains and atmosphere.

While I think passes are currently underpriced (resulting in too-large crowds) I very much disagree that increasing prices would somehow increase the quality profile of guests. From what I've seen, it is the spoiled kids/teens - whose parents could/would undoubtedly still buy them passes if prices were higher - who tend to be more obnoxious/rule-breaking than anyone else. I'm hoping this season that it is just the uncommonly warm and beautiful weather that is bringing the crowds now. And that once it gets rediculously hot next month it keeps more people home or in the wet park. Because if attendance increases as much as in previous years between June and July, the park is going to be hitting capacity even on weekdays next month...

This is new, isn't it?

Yesterday I discovered a service that Kings Island has been doing that I was previously unaware of. My husband regularly carries a pocket knife with him and I usually remind him to leave it in the vehicle when we visit Kings Island. But, due to a poorly timed incident of hiccups we were both thrown off when getting to the park yesterday so neither of us even thought about the knife until my husband set off the detector. I expected to make a trip back to the truck with it, but instead they told us we could leave it there. They put it in a baggie with a ticket inside, gave my husband a matching ticket, put it in a closed bin (later moved to a locker) and said we could come back there to pick it up. The whole process of checking the knife and picking it up later was handled extremely smoothly and quickly. I realize I must have actually seen this process happening in line in front of me on other visits but because it doesn't obstruct or slow the line, I didn't notice it going on. If the item had much emotional or intrinsic value, I probably would have urged my husband to just have me walk it out, but I also feel pretty secure after seeing the process that I wouldn't be too worried to use it in the future on something not as easily replaced if lost.

Welcome to KIC vonni! I actually think it is unlikely Kings Island will heavily use that area for any rides any time soon. It is a useful backstage area for the park, and you can see that when they built Banshee, they planted trees that will eventually (as they grow in more) better block the view of the area as well. The only way I see that area used is the possibility of something so huge and far reaching part of it runs by there. But I don't see it being ground zero. It is too far removed from the rest of the park.