MaestroJr

I loved riding Scoobys Ghoster Coaster as a kid as it and The Beastie and Adventure Express helped me get over the fear of roller coasters. I rode Scoobys Ghoster Coaster first which seemed very tall at the time and i really enjoyed riding it and then riding Scooby's Haunted Castle. The always seemed to fit well together and really Scooby's Ghoster Coaster and Scoobys Haunted Castle were always a must ride and favorite of mine as a little kid. Lots of great memories on both rides! MaestroJr

Happy Halloween fellow forum members, I hope everyone had a good 2016 season and now we look towards the completion and opening of our new Mystic Timbers in 2017! I had a great final visit on Saturday, October, 29. It was a day of long lines and lots of riding so here we go! We arrived at around 11:30 and made an immediate run to The Beast, unfortunately though, it wasnt open quite just yet so we instead opted for The Vortex. A short wait and great first ride of the day, afterwards we visited The Racer for another early morning ride. Rode near the middle on the Blue Racer and had a fun and bumpy ride racing with our fellow red train. The Beast still wasnt operating yet, so we headed over to the Action Zone for a ride on Banshee and this is about when the park started really getting full. We had about a 30 minute wait for Banshee and rode again towards the middle. A really fun and dizzying ride on Banshee and this helped wake me up and get my adrenaline going! Afterwards we headed to ride The Bat and even it had about a 20 minute wait, which usually doesnt happen but still that didnt bother us. Riding 2nd row The Bat seemed to fly on alot faster then usual and seemed to last very quick! We then headed to the Festhaus for some much needed La'Rosa's and a quick breather. Then we began the second part of our day. We left Festhaus full and ready for some more riding. We headed for Boo Blasters for a quick cool down and a chance to up our scores from last time. We rode in car 1 and both got Master Blaster with a score of 1000 and for me 1210. Most things seemed to be working alright, except for a few things that havent worked in a long time. We left Bleakstone Manor and then headed to the Adventure Express. It was a normal 30 minute wait and even though it may not have the thrills, I have a lot of nostalgia for it and it seems to get more jerky every time I ride it! We then headed back to Boo Blasters and had about a 30 minute wait with the building full of people. At this point it really made me miss Maestro in the balcony as there really isnt any preshow before riding Boo Blasters. Looking up at the balcony, I really hope that Phantom could return in some way, but still I love Boo Blasters regardless. When we got to the front Boo Blasters stopped running for about 2 or 3 minutes and then started back up again. We didnt get very good blasters second time around but still did okay. We then rode The Racer again, this time in the red side and then Vortex again. By this time Haunt was about to start so we headed for some mazes. We did Slaughterhouse first and really had a fun time in it. Didnt get scared but still very thrilling. It was also cool to see the Phantom Theater furnace which I think had actually fire in it this time. It really took me back and its cool to see it still being used. We also did Board to Death and again it was cool to see the rat from Phantom, popping up and gnarling, moving its mouth in a scary way. I really am surprised that it still works good and looks good as well. Then we headed for a final night ride on The Beast! The wait was about 2 hours but well worth it. The Beast had red lights and smoke but besides that it was pitch black darkness. I think so far this has to be the best ride Ive taken on The Beast! We rode backseat and really had a great time on it. Ive never felt it be this fast and rough but at the same time very satisfying and loads of fun. We then headed for the exit on a very memorable final visit of 2016. Here is the photos I took. The Bat Old Son of Beast train next to Mystic Timbers box Vortex Boo Blasters Those eyes are always creepy Help, get away from me! Firehawk SlaughterHouse and Beast! Eiffel Tower eyes and fog Overall a great visit, and I tried to get photos of Mystic Timbers although really couldnt get a good shot although it looks really good so far. Had a fantastic 2016 season at the Island and look forward to 2017! Final ride count Beast-1 Boo Blasters-2 Banshee-1 Adventure Express-1 Racer-2 Blue-1 Red-1 Bat-1 Vortex-2 Mazes Board to Death-1 Slaughterhouse-1 Cheers!

Boo Blasters is better at other parks as the blasters work much more fluently. I would love a Great Pumpkin ride in the current Boo Blasters building in the next couple of years as I think it could be better with the area, and could still incorporate the blasters and haunted theme in some way. That would be the best fit I think and probably the most likely although I like Boo Blasters fine though. Although Boo Blasters needs lots of maintenance and I think a change of scenery would be nice, but I am fine with Boo Blasters and love riding it in the meantime.

Hello forum members, a question I have thought of a lot lately is what will replace Boo Blasters specifically in the same building in a few years. I just want to know if people on here would either like to see a new Peanuts dark ride or something different? I know there have been forums like this before but I just want to know your opinions on the Boo Blasters replacement and not mention the new ride that may be in the Crypt building, just what will replace Boo Blasters, Peanuts or not? MaestroJr

Should have explained what I meant better, I just meant to say that they were over the head but should have told more about them, sorry bout that, thanks for explaining the seats better, jcgoble3!

Son of Beast announcement by Montel Williams in 1999 was really cool! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJF7tdvhUTo

On The Beast, you might be a tight squeeze but I have never seen anyone kicked off it for being too big and I think it will be okay. Adventure Express should be fine although the seat is kinda tight for me at 6'0" 225 lbs. Backlot Stunt Track should be fine although going up through the first couple of twist may feel a little bit tight, but mostly its likely going to be fine and fun. The Racer should be okay but the seat belt might get a little loose, its happens to me on The Racer but nothing to worry about, its still lots of fun. The Bat you'll have no problem with at all as the harness is over your head and their is lots of room in the ride car for your feet to rest. Also you might wanna consider Banshee as its over the head restraints are very similar to The Bat and can accommodate all people. Overall if you are asked to leave a ride dont hang your head just go to the ones that you for sure can ride like The Bat, Adventure Express, Backlot, and so on. Most likely you will be able to ride almost everything and just go with whats comfortable for you and take some pointers from this forum. Most importantly have fun! Hope this helps, MaestroJr

According to one of my friends, the Phantom Theater mouse is still in Board to Death, I guess still in the same spot.

Mystic Timbers looking better every day!

Wow 3 post on accident, dang smart phones!

I imagine that the flash powder barrel is in The Beast line as it was back in June when I visited as well as the furnace in Slaughterhouse and the Cannon in Cavern of Terror. Everyone keep an eye out for Phantom stuff and if you see anything big or small I'd love to hear about it on here! I will keep and eye out as well! The mummy from Phantom is also in Cavern of Terror as well, or at least it was last year next to the cannon. MaestroJr

I imagine that the flash powder barrel is in The Beast line as it was back in June when I visited as well as the furnace in Slaughterhouse and the Cannon in Cavern of Terror. Everyone keep an eye out for Phantom stuff and if you see anything big or small I'd love to hear about it on here! I will keep and eye out as well! MaestroJr

I imagine that the flash powder barrel is in The Beast line as it was back in June when I visited as well as the furnace in Slaughterhouse and the Cannon in Cavern of Terror. Everyone keep an eye out for Phantom stuff and if you see anything big or small I'd love to hear about it on here! I will keep and eye out as well! MaestroJr

Yeah me too. In 2011, I actually got a Flight of Fear and Boo Blasters ride photo on the same day. The Boo Blasters picture is very cool, and it even has a bunch of glow in the dark eyes on it! And the Flight of Fear picture had aliens next to you, of course with ride info on it as well. They should deifantly bring pictures back for both rides, especially since Boo Blasters is mainly for families and a group photo on the ride is a great memory saver. Im just glad that I got both ride photos when I did, but I hope they both come back as well as on The Bat. Ive always wanted a photo of myself on The Bat as it is one of my favorites. They should have them on Boo Blasters and Flight of Fear, and defiantly I hope that they will add one to The Bat. Something about looking at those photos with the ride logo, and facts really helps remember your experience at the park better! MaestroJr

Looks like its coming along nicely, very awesome that its starting to take shape. Can't wait for April!

In the past, the dark ride during the time was open for all winterfest. Smurfs Enchanted Voyage, Phantom Theater, and Scoobys Haunted Castle were all open for winterfest except with only slight differences, mostly in the queue line but the ride for all three were pretty much the same. There is a picture on kiextreme.com that shows Scoobys Castle during Winterfest. I hope that Boo Blasters would be open as that would attract even more people and it could be slightly modified but still stick to its theme as well. I would love to see that! Hopefully the park will consider something like that to add even more to the event. Very exciting news and really cool that its free for Gold Pass members. Though I'm still probably more excited for Mystic Timbers, one thing at a time! MaestroJr

Thanks!

Great trip report and awesome pictures!

I dont know really, I know it probably wont be as big as Mystic Timbers but Im still nervous about it, no hints makes it really hard to guess!

Really hoping for a new dark ride or Boo Blasters really needs to be refurbished. It is starting to remind me of Phantom Theater in its later days when the animatronics sometimes didnt move correctly. If anyone has ridden Boo Blasters lately, youll know what I mean as Boocifer, last time I rode Boo Blasters, didnt play his organ at all and then he yelled at the end that we'd never leave Bleakstone Manor although he wasnt even moving his lips or moving at all really. We badly need either a new dark ride, or a refurbishment of Boo Blasters. I guess its good we have a dark ride though at all! MaestroJr

Greetings fellow forum members, I took two incredible trips to two amazing parks last month and last week. This will be broken into Kentucky Kingdom first, and then Family Kingdom second. I know it will probably be quite long so be prepared for lots of words and pictures, and most importantly enjoy! Well, it was a hot, humid day on my first ever visit to Kentucky Kingdom. We arrived at about 11:30 as my excpectations were soaring high as I was about to ride roller coasters I had never seen in person and only heard about. We went with a few of my cousins and my grandmother joined us as well. We first rode the Drop Tower ride as it had a short wait. This really woke me up as I hate drop zone rides as Im not a fan of heights but I wasnt about to wimp out! After riding this we headed to Thunder Run. I didnt know that they only were running one train on each of the coasters but the wait was short so I really didnt even notice. About 15 minutes later we climbed aboard my first ride on Thunder Run! A great wooden coaster, although it was pretty rough on the knees. Still, it had lots of airtime and this would be the ride I rode the most of so the little pain was well worth a fun, fast, and thrilling wooden coaster! After riding Thunder Run, my cousins went to the water park, so I rode the rest of the day alone as water parks really arent my thing. I headed for the new Storm Chaser, I was suprised to see that its kind of like a hybrid and the first coaster like that I'd ridden. Not too long of a wait, about 30 minutes. A lot of fun with a very unique first drop. You go upside down on the first drop and then twist and turn throughout the whole ride! Very unique ride experinence as like I said, I have never rode any thing like it in the past, but very glad I did! Next I went back to ride Thunder Run again, and it was alot smoother then my first time on it, next I headed to T3. I had a pretty long wait, about an hour or so. It was alot of fun though after the long wait, and it felt like riding Banshee, Bat, and Invertigo all together! It was fun and had lots of loops and twist and turns and seemed to go by really fast! After some pizza for lunch, I headed back to Thunder Run again as lines were now getting much shorter. After a quick rain storm, I headed (ironically) to Lightning Run. The lift hill and first drop were thrilling, along with lots of airtime and bunny hills. A couple of quick twist to the left and right and back to the station, but with no line, I went to ride it again, two times in a row! I'd say it was my second favorite ride next to Thunder Run. I then rode Storm Chaser again, and paid more attention to it this time and had a better ride then the first time for sure! I then rode Thunder Run 3 times in a row because their was only a 5 minute wait as the park was about to close. On the final ride on Thunder Run, I rode by myself with no one else on my entire train! I rode up at the very front and had a fun, bumpy, fast, and thrilling final ride on Thunder Run! I then met up with my family and headed for the exit as a most perfect day at Kentucky Kingdom came to a close! A great first visit! Here is the pictures I took along the way! View of park from parking lot Took this to show Enterprise a ride identical to our Skylab at Kings Island Thunder Run Storm Chaser Flying Dutchman's which used to be at Kings Island back in the day. More from Thunder Run T3 from queue line Lightning Run Thunder Run last ride of the day for me. Total ride count: FearFall-1 Thunder Run- 6 Lightning Run-2 T3-1 Storm Chaser-2 A great, fun first visit to Kentucky Kingdom! Family Kingdom review next! Part 2: Family Kingdom I went to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina last week for vacation, and their is a park down there that I try to visit every year I go down there. Its a small park called Family Kingdom, and a few of you on here may have been there before. I had a beautiful day at the park and spent several hours there. Its in downtown Myrtle Beach and is impossible to miss! I entered the park ready to take my ride on the legendary Swamp Fox coaster. For those of you who don't know, the Swamp Fox is a wooden roller coaster very similar to The Racer that was built in 1966 by the same man who constructed The Racer, John C. Allen. It is almost exactly the same as The Racer and feels like it as well. A quick wait and then I was off on the Swamp Fox. I rode back seat and it was a little painful from that spot, although lots of airtime and speed. I havent visited for the last couple years, so it was nice to ride this awesome coaster again! I rode again middle row and it was much smoother and faster. I then headed for they're version of Boo Blasters, The Great Pistolero Roundup! It is like Boo Blasters in every way and was built by the same company, Sally Corp. Having ridden Boo Blasters so many times and Scooby and the Haunted Castle as well, this felt very fimiliar to me. I rode 3 times and did pretty good in my blasting skills. The only difference being that instead of shooting Boocifer and his ghouls and ghost, you are a Mexican sheriffs deputy shooting at gold robbers. It reminded me of Boo Blasters so much although the guns worked much better on Great Pistolero Roundup then on Boo Blasters, and even had a cool pistol sound-effect! Lots of fun for me as Im always a sucker for dark rides, and the ride was something familiar yet fresh for me. I then rode the Swamp Fox again and since there was nobody in line, I got to ride it again without leaving my seat! It was alot of fun and really had lots of airtime and speed on my final ride on it. The only thing I wish it had is new lap restraints, as the one it has is similar to the one The Beast used to have. One long black lap bar that secures 2 people. It defiantly doesnt ruin the fun of the coaster, although like I said, in the back it really is uncomfortable. So my theory for it, at least for me, is ride middle or front! I then left the park after taking some photos as my family and me were going to have dinner! Alot of fun at Family Kingdom, a great, fast roller coaster, and a great dark ride, what more could you ask for? Now more photos that I took at the park. Swamp Fox Great Pistolero Roundup, a fun, well themed dark ride. And finally, more photos of the legendary wooden coaster, the Swamp Fox! Final ride count: Swamp Fox-4 Great Pisolero Roundup-3 Overall I had an amazing time at both parks and look forward to more, fun visits in the future. I'll be returning to Kings Island again soon and hopefully will also get up to Kings Dominion this year as well. Thanks for reading, sorry it was so long, I had alot to say! Hope everyones doing well and hope you all are enjoying this summer as well. Hopefully also, you all are riding lots of rides this summer as well! Thanks again. MaestroJr

Who knows, the Barvarian Beetle might still be in operation!

How about a before and after photo I took in 2013 of Flight Decks final year, and 2014 of the ride newly painted and now called The Bat! Both look totally different but I think The Bat's color scheme looks better then the Flight Deck one. It looks better with the trees and scenery and such. You can see it much better with the orange from the parking lot than you could with the white. Just my opinion although I loved it as Flight Deck and still do with The Bat, I think regardless of what its called, its a really fun, fast coaster! MaestroJr

Agree 100%, even today while walking back to The Bat, I cant help but notice the stars, American flag, and at the rides final break back into the station, you can still see the number 51 on the ground as if you are coming back and landing on the front of an aircraft carrier as a Bat! A little bit of haunted theming would make it better, although at least they play Ozzy or something like it in the station generally! I still love the ride but I do wish for something haunting with bats during the long trek to The Bat. MaestroJr