Magenta Lizard

Because they want to keep it? I’ve heard a story told that there was some gorgeous big old tree they sort of built Beast around. All through construction it was kind of in the way, but they worked around it because they wanted to keep it. Towards the very end, it ended being accidentally damaged and had to be removed.

They have this display inside guest services:

You’ll have to wait till the 15th for that

It’s open now

I’m inclined to believe none have been sent yet because I’m in a lot of Kings Island related groups and haven’t heard a single person say they’ve received a perk yet, even though the question is asked by someone or another most days.

Whew. I was worried from @Tad ghostal‘s post that someone stole her stone, so I went over to check today. Her stone is still there and actually sunken into the ground now rather than just leaning against a broken piece.

I absolutely love smelling all of the flowering trees (and now, the Wisteria tunnels) when I visit Kings Island in the spring. And for some reason (I’m sure I’ve mentioned it before) the fresh lumber smell in Slaughterhouse always makes me hungry. I know there are some people who would buy a “chain grease in the morning” scented candle

The International Restaurant has been decorated for the Carnival, even though public can’t get up there (yet?). I spotted these giant feather displays all along the insides of the windows as I left the park Sorry for the blurriness

I assume because of how the area in which it is built is like a bowl down below the level of the walkways around it. I think the rumor assumes that the land beneath Vortex was at the same level as the walkways prior to when it began “sinking.”

Oh and I heard The Vortex is sinking rumor repeated again with a new twist. This particular teen girl said she was told that “every time it rains, The Vortex sinks”

I know they at least used to have blue ice cream mugs/dishes as part of a display with other blue ice cream merch. I think this was on display last year in the Emporium, I’ll look to see if I can find some of it in one of the shops at my next visit. I suspect they may be at the Snoopy Boutique. I’m really excited about the embroidered patches that came out this year. I love the variety of the pins, but I’ve always been too worried they’d fall off and get lost from anything I would want to use them on, so the ones I have stay in my jewelry drawer. The patches, I can sew on, and be reasonably sure I’ll at least have some warning before one falls off. I’ve been buying them slowly, as I find enough change on the ground to “pay” for each one (I don’t actually pay for them in coins). So far I’ve found enough for six out of the 11 I plan to buy. I’ve been sewing them onto a big canvas Kings Island tote bag I won a few years ago at Coasterstock and keep in my SUV to hold all my park supplies (extra clothes, ponchos, band aids, etc). My husband even bought me a vintage patch off eBay, that has the loop of Demon in front of the Eiffel Tower.

woot! I’ve noticed there is new lighting on the stage this year, some of them projecting lights that I assume are similar to what they use to make spinning candy canes, etc at Winterfest. They move around quite a bit and sometimes look like they would be extremely distracting and annoying for the performers, but I guess they’re used to them. They do add a lot to the show. I’m definitely not certain about it, but it also sounds to me like the sound system may have been upgraded. I liked the song they used to use for the purple guys’ act, but the new one fits the tone of the rest of the show much better. It is Pint of the Black Stuff by Blunt and James Wrigley

They did “accidentally” release the page about The Bat before Banshee. However, I was an intensely interested party while Mystic Timbers was being teased and built, very active in the park, following their social media, watching for registered trademarks, etc and there was zero indication from the park they were going to use Splintercat. It was a pet theory floated by someone on the KIC boards in response to the “watch for falling trees” teasers but had no other basis in anything the park released. It wasn’t even anything the park nodded at as a joke after seeing the theory (like they made an oblique reference to the “5 is Alive” diehards by bringing out an antique car with a number 5 license plate to that announcement). I’m not saying it wouldn’t have been a cool idea, but it came from a fan’s imagination and research on North American legendary creatures, not the park.

Early in the season the KI Salad was a nice little appetizer served on those rectangular metal plates. It was tasty, but not at all filling. It would have been a nice side to an impossible burger, even tho I don’t tend to eat much in one sitting.

As I was exiting Vortex, I overheard a man say to his wife “that’s The Beast, I think, the big wooden coaster” while pointing at Vortex. Then, I guess noticing The Beast t-shirt I was wearing, asked me “so, this is the way to The Beast?” I shook my head and traced a large semi-circle to the left saying “no, you have to go waaay around that way”. He indicated an understanding I meant that path between juke box and SR&R but I’m not sure he recognized the giant looping steel monstrosity beside us wasn’t actually the coaster he was traveling to, yet... I'm kinda used to people being a little sketchy about which coaster is which if they don’t visit often but he expressed enough knowledge of The Beast to make me wonder how he could confuse steel for wood like that...

I know the new building probably isn’t directly related to the giga, but it looks like it is also going to have a curved roof like a hangar or Quonset hut

And another: Really liking the looks of that dragon

It needs to be said that this picture was taken from an area the photographer was not supposed to be in. Risking your access to the park entirely by trespassing to take pictures is just dumb. Especially for something everyone will be seeing in living color (and un-tarped) in a couple weeks anyway. If you can see something from a ride like Drop Tower, but are unable to photograph it from publicly accessible areas, just tell people so they can go look for themselves. Don’t risk being banned from the park, it just isn’t that important.

I think today may finally be the day they start pouring concrete for the coaster! I followed a concrete mixer up Columbia to the back entrance behind Great Wolf on my way here this morning, and someone said they spotted it over in the new clearing! edit: I was unable to locate it from Red Racer so possible false alarm

Not the World Fountains?! I’m outraged!

To muddy the waters, KI tweeted this today:

During his speech at Coasterstock, Jeff Gramke mentioned that the reason for the tunnel at the bottom of the first drop of Beast was that they realized they needed more drop length to make it through the rest of the course they were planning. The two options were to increase the height of the entire rest of the coaster (expensive) or drop down below ground level (less expensive, and way cooler in my opinion :)). Since there’s been the discussion in the price of steel going up, I was just thinking it would be a good way to make for a coaster with a longer drop, while saving quite a bit of money on steel.

Do you think there’s any chance of the drop being extended by a tunnel at the bottom, like Beast? Is that something you could see working with the current trench/ravine, or would that even matter in the case of a tunnel?

it was missing at the beginning of this season, and it has been mentioned (the smaller sign on the game has been there for years, it isn’t new)

5-1 means the front row of the fifth car from the front, either left or right seat. 5-2 would refer to the back row of the same car.