BeeastFarmer

New dive coaster for SF Great America! Looks like a great fit for this park that I'm unfamiliar with. The teaser is giving off Cedar Fair vibes.

While I agree that the Kings Island of today is a far cry from its 70s and 80s heyday, I believe the park has found a comfortable niche in its current market. Recent additions like Adventure Port, Camp Snoopy, and the Soak City expansion seem tailored to the local audience, addressing long-standing needs while remaining relatively modest in scale. While some might argue for more ambitious expansions, such as extending Adventure Port to the funnel cake stand or revamping the entire kids' area under the Camp Snoopy banner, the current approach appears to be working. The park's nostalgic appeal, coupled with consistent, albeit smaller, additions, seems to satisfy the local market. However, one might question the impact of these additions on overall attendance. While new attractions often bring initial surges, it's unclear whether they lead to sustained increases. Have additions like Banshee or Mystic Timbers truly driven attendance up significantly in the long term? Or do they maintain a steady, but minute net attendance increase? Regardless, Kings Island's strategy appears to be paying off. Despite numerous complaints about service, cleanliness, or entertainment offerings, rides/park services/landscape/communications/ambassador staff cuts, the park continues to attract a loyal following. This suggests that the park's target audience is more concerned with the overall experience and the availability of new, albeit small-scale attractions, rather than the finer details. As long as Kings Island continues to cater to this core market and they buy the passes and add-ons, it's unlikely to deviate significantly from its current trajectory. We may see occasional larger coasters, but the overall focus will likely remain on smaller-scale additions and enhancements that appeal to local families. It's interesting to note the growing sentiment of burnout among some park fans. While decreased pass sales could potentially force a change in direction, it remains to be seen whether this dissatisfaction is widespread enough to have a significant impact.

I must concur that these enhancements are designed to serve the local demographic, particularly season pass holders. Unless Kings Island intends to undertake a comprehensive renovation and rebranding of Soak City, these are the improvements we can anticipate, and I am personally satisfied with them. A rebranding and renovation , with a large expansion with expensive endeavors, would be necessary to attract enthusiasts from outside the region. And for what? How many water park enthusiasts are going to travel to Cincinnati when the region has super water parks within a 2-4 hour drive? In my personal discussions, Soak City is often rated below other parks like Splashin' Safari and Kentucky Kingdom, although I have not encountered empirical data. Overall, this addition aligns with expectations, and it is anticipated to enhance local patronage and park capacity.

That script has been used on the tower for as long as I can remember, and Ive been going since Taft.

It was the weirdest thing...just spitting all over the place. Not a hawk tua thing and not a propulsion thing...just a spit. I mean I spit in the comfort and privacy of my own farm, but not in public.

I can't comment on the internal, but the park was annoyingly crowded. That didn't bother me so much, but the inefficient procedures did. Lazy Bear Lodge...slow to serve the food. Think Coney BBQ with both sides open and lines to Coney Treats. One cashier. One drink stand. Backlot Cafe...no drink stations, you had to get your drink before entering, so wait in that line, then wait in a long food line, your drink was gone, hot or watered down (if the park had ice) Blue Ice Cream...4 people in front of me. 3 workers. Still took 20 minutes to get a cone. And they said they were not allowed to put it into a cup. Ride ops were great on most coasters, almost rivaling KI. Friendly too. Park wasn't very clean. Finally, the park can't control this, but the crowds....no sense of personal space. Children literally pawing at me. Teens cutting right in front of you on International Street...worse than KI teens. And the spitting...oh the spitting... Despite the dirty state of the park, it was beautiful. Still has some hints of Taft.

I haven't seen any mention that this is Ohio's largest and most powerful enema attraction.

IIRC, the Scooby Doo dark rides were licensed by Sally. I think they have all disappeared now.

HB rights are owned by Warner, I think. They also own Looney Toons and DC comics. I dont know if SIX had rights to HB and didn't use them, or if they never persued it. I'd love to see Scoob and Snoop hang out together while Velma looks for her glasses Daphne and Fred head to the Mystery Machine and Shaggy heads out to the smoking area. Maybe when they meet back up, they can take the mask off of Saleem!

How about this as a concept for the coaster that would go in and around the crypt building, which has had the exterior fashioned into an Appalachian mountain: The Cove (name of the coaster) --- **Backstory:** In the shadowy depths of Rivertown, an ancient legend speaks of a hidden mountain where the powers of the forest and sky converge. This mountain, long thought to be a myth, is where the fearsome Beast resides, guarding its territory with unmatched ferocity. However, there's more to the legend—a cosmic connection that ties The Beast to the constellation Orion. Eons ago, the constellation Orion was not just a set of stars but a mighty celestial hunter who roamed the universe. He became obsessed with capturing The Beast, a powerful creature whose strength was said to challenge even the gods. The chase led Orion to the earthly realm, where he lured The Beast into a trap—a mountain that he conjured with his cosmic powers. But The Beast, cunning and resilient, broke free, infusing the mountain with its essence, creating a curse that connected Orion’s cosmic power to the mountain itself. Now, in the heart of Rivertown, the once dormant mountain has awoken, crackling with the energy of Orion’s curse and The Beast’s wrath. The Mystic Woods, the forest that surrounds Rivertown, have begun to stir, and strange phenomena have been reported—the forest is alive, with vines and trees moving of their own accord, while the skies above the mountain swirl with celestial energy. Adventurers brave enough to enter the mountain will embark on a journey through the cursed forest and into the heart of the mountain itself. The Beast is furious, and Orion’s curse still lingers, drawing riders into a terrifying experience where the line between reality and myth blurs. --- ### Ride Experience: **Queue Line:** The adventure begins as guests enter a dense, fog-covered forest filled with twisted trees and eerie, glowing flora, reminiscent of Mystic Timbers. The queue winds through the forest, with sounds of The Beast’s growls echoing in the distance. As guests approach the mountain, they pass through a decrepit logging cabin filled with cryptic maps and journals detailing past expeditions that never returned. **Station:** The station is set deep within the mountain, illuminated by flickering torches and celestial runes that glow with a strange energy. The ride vehicles are designed to resemble rustic, wooden mine carts, but with a modern twist—glowing blue markings hint at the cosmic influence of Orion. **Ride Layout:** - **Dark Ride Segment (Indoor):** - **The Descent:** The ride begins with a slow climb deeper into the mountain. The air grows colder as guests hear the roars of The Beast. Suddenly, the ride plummets into darkness, twisting and turning through narrow tunnels, avoiding falling rocks and collapsing structures as the mountain itself seems to be alive. - **Orion’s Lair:** The mine carts enter a vast chamber where the ceiling reveals a swirling Vortex of stars—the heart of Orion’s curse. Here, guests encounter spectral images of Orion as he battles The Beast, with cosmic energy crackling around them. The tension builds until The Beast breaks free from the cosmic chains, triggering an intense launch sequence. - **Outdoor Coaster Segment:** - **The Escape:** Blasting out of the mountain, the ride transitions to a high-speed outdoor section. Riders speed through dense forest trails, dodging massive, moving tree limbs and branches feeling the wrath of Mystic Timbers. The track features airtime hills and sharp turns, evoking the wild, untamed nature of The Beast. - **The Cosmic Duel:** As riders ascend a tall lift hill, they are momentarily suspended under a the sky just like Orion. The ride then dives down a steep drop, weaving through terrain that mimics Orion’s constellation, with near-miss elements against rocky outcrops. **Finale:** The ride ends with one final encounter with The Beast as the carts plunge back into the mountain. In a thrilling finale, the ride navigates a spiraling drop into the mountain’s core, where The Beast’s eyes glow in the darkness, and Orion’s curse attempts one last time to capture the creature. The mine carts narrowly escape, launching up and out of the mountain one last time before returning to the station. **Post-Ride Experience:** Guests exit through a themed gift shop that resembles an old Rivertown trading post, filled with artifacts from the mountain and memorabilia of The Beast, Orion, and Mystic Timbers. The story of their journey is immortalized in rustic carvings and celestial-themed merchandise. --- "The Cove" offers a thrilling blend of dark ride storytelling and intense coaster action, encapsulating the mystique and legends of Kings Island’s Rivertown.

I don't think it was. A "blast coaster coming out of the mountain" was one of the options that Wonderland sent to passholders a few years ago.

I thought I was the only one who missed the creaking noise! I think it would fit right in the story about being on the wrong track.

Not a water park person, but this looks like a great addition to the area. It doesn't solve the overall problem that plagues Soak City, which is concrete. But until they invest the money to completely reinvent and retheme the water park, this will do. Hopefully it's a sign of things to come. Could they have been more nonchalant about the announcement? It just reads to me like "yeah, we are giving the water park some stuff, we know you'll like it, but we gotta get Haunt stuff set up." And they either need to use chatgpt to write their copy, or have another layer of proof reading. Look at the last sentence:

You're not alone. All that work but no reward. I mean, we can repurpose the fountain pedestals into some pretty cool Area 72 props as well as something from the Flight Commander ride into a "security post" in Area 72, but we can't display enhanced props on Adventure Express that someone worked so hard on?

I think if a high capacity Infinity coaster comed to Kings Island, it should go in Action Zone. It would be great on the skyline, especially with a pop out lighting package. If this coaster was in The Vortex plot, they would likely put the same lighting package on, and this would further erode The Beast ambiance.

I've seen posts on social media for KD and CP. I guess I just don't get the impetus to buy SP merch. It's not exclusive and it's a product. I see it as the same thing as if Amazon sold merch for being a Prime member. I wouldn't buy that either. However, this could be a part of the integration process of the two companies. If we see the same design and information at the legacy SF parks, it would be a good unifying brand statement as well as an opportunity to buy low in bulk and sell high in retail. My lack of motivation to purchase and giving my viewpoint is not an attempt to downplay the significance of the merch to those who like it. Purchase and enjoy!

It depends on what Kings Island and or Six Flags want to do. History shows us that they will turn off the fountain at later Haunt even though they don't build snowflake lake. Same with the light on the tower so it closes down earlier than needed, although it seems it's been down more than up this year. I used to think these budget decisions were made by corporate, but the more I read/ hear/ think, Mike Kootnz is making the call. For example, according to what he said in Evan's book, he made the decision to kill Vortex after a rough ride one morning. At the spring conference, he said he made the decision to remove the fountain pedestals. Did he make the decision to switch to Sysco mini chicken chunks? Did he decide that rides positions can be eliminated? Did he make the decision that the KI theater was going to be dark for much more of the season than it should be? That Icees do not have lids? That they are/were playing jazz in area 72? Or were these all decided by corporate?

Depends on if Sysco cut them a deal on the frozen minis!

Watch the parade tonight. Being twilight or semi dark ( depending on what area you watch it in) adds so much to it. The lights on the floats, the buildings, trees and fountains ( and Coney Mall Midway...I didn't watch at the tie dye shoppe stop) were perfectly executed. So much better than a 7pm or 8pm parade. They have outdo e themselves with the parade this year in spite of floats being cut. I have a feeling this will be the last year of the event. It has declined so much from 2019. I wish they would do it to that level ( except move India to a better location than Tower Gardens) or put it out of its misery. The parade can't carry the event.

I think starting in the Kings Parks that have boo blasters would be a good gauge. Would it replace Justice League at legacy Six Flags parks? No, it would make sense to continue their DC comics IP. But for a park like ...I dunno, Great Escape. If they have a dark ride that's nearing the end of life, try PT there. ( Just don't replace the boat/ dark ride at SFOG, it's really cool!)

Not to mention, @johnjniehaus, Phantom Theater is an IP they already own. They could use it at all parks and pay no royalties. Plus they have a show ready to go to introduce it to new parks, merch templates, etc. If done correctly it could be lucrative to Six Flags.

If they are going to redo the ride, and it's not going to be a Phantom redo, Peanuts makes logical sense. A four seasons ride would work well as a nod to Smurfs concept, and would tie in well with the Peanuts IP. I don't think there should be a shooting element, as I'm frankly surprised we still have shooting rides that are geared for children.

I am just guessing, but that is a premium space. It's vastly underutilized. The main seating area would be a terrible place to loose for the plebes, even if it's just a WinterFest buffet. There is a party room on the Swiss Building side, but they may use that for corporate events, internal meetings etc. Just be happy the prestige passholders get tap water and yesterday's leftover food in a big trough. That's an upgrade, last year it was just chili! ( The last paragraph is parody and in now way represents the truth of any food choices in the VIP lounge)

He did say that, although phrased differently: " end of its serviceable life..."

I like Snake River Falls better....wish it could be relocated.