Trip Report 10/20 (got kinda long, sorry)

[touchdown62]

Guess it was really 10/18 (Saturday). Got so excited that 10/20 was pay day that's all I was thinking about.

This is my first attempt at one of these, but thought I'd share our day. There was an air of excitement as one in our group hasn't been to KI in over 20 years. "Papa Cahones" as we call him, more commonly known as Gary, was on The Beast the first year of operation and remembers riding The Racer when it was still a bench seat with the single restraining bar. He's pre-Vortex but remembers The Bat and the Demon. He kept asking questions about Flight Commander, Flying Eagles, Antique Cars and the lot. Seemed disappointed about that, but in the end, he said he had a great time.

We got to the park between 11:15 and 11:30. It all started on Red Racer, which was his oldest son Andy's first ever coaster back in 2000 (late bloomer in terms of a roller coaster enthusiast). Having the Blue Racer done for the season made it real easy to decide which one to ride. The Red Racer gave its usual fast ride with ample air time. This time I was prepared for the fall-off to the right. Until that point I still braced for the fall-off to the left.

Next we decided to go for Firehawk to get the long wait out of the way. When we got there, only the red train was running. The OP at the front of the line said about 1:15 wait. Since the wait would only get worse as the day went along, we waited. We got to watch a little bit of the start-up routine with the yellow train when they were trying to get it up and running. We had been in line about 15 minutes when they attempted to get the yellow train going. They lowered the seats, then all went quiet, and no, we weren't on the Western Front. The worker bees started running about, then the announcement came over saying the ride had broken down and they didn't know how long it would be before it was running again. Standard announcement. The mass exodus began. The 6 of us had the debate of what to do. My argument was no matter how long we wait, the minute we got out of line and started to walk away the ride would start up again. We decided to wait and see how many people would wait and how many would leave. About half the line left. The ride was down about 10-15 minutes. We really started to feel bad for the folds in the red train because they were stuck in the brake run, and flat on your back with your legs where they are isn't really the most comfortable position to be in, especially with the Evil Day Star shining right into your eyes. Finally there was a glimmer of hope as the red train was brought back into the station. After a few more minutes, the yellow train finally went on its test run, followed by the red train on another test run. The ride was back up. After another 15 minutes, we were sent down the stairs to the yellow train. This was going to be Papa Cahones' first ride on a flying coaster, and he was a bit nervous. When we were going up the lift hill, his younger son Bobby took a picture, and Gary was white as a ghost. Don't go yelling at Bobby for taking a picture on the ride because I know he's not the only one to ever do it. I forgot the cameras were at the bottom of the 1st drop, so when I saw the flash, I looked over at my friend Eric and said, "Well that'll be a flattering picture!" Going up the loop felt like getting jacked up by the Hulk, spun like clothes in a dryer through the barrel rolls, then shaken, not stirred through the helix, all the while the youngest Miller child Abby was screaming like a little girl, well at least one younger than she is (19). Pictures were priceless. Faces contorted like astronauts on re-entry. We kept the pictures priceless by not paying $25,000 or whatever for them.

If I remember right, we next revisited our long-time friend The Beast!!! As we walked down, we got to watch some schlock brick shot after shot at the basketball game. Then passed the object of everyone's desires... Diamondback. I was ready to ride that thing right then and there, just as it is... Diamondback, the world's first JUMPING coaster! Hope your insurance is up-to-date! Finally on to The Beast. Andy goes "IT'S A WALK-ON!" Yeah, except for the station full of people. Beast was on the ball Saturday. Incredibly fast. We didn't even have to insult it for it to give us a kick-a** ride.

After Beast, there was some passing interest among some of us to go on Crypt, but fortunately for me, it was closed at the time. As it was getting on 2:00, we were starting to get hungry, so we decided to head for the best meal deal in the park, the buffet, that is until we got there. Didn't realize it was closed and was just a special Haunt thing. Bummer. So we thought Chick Fil-A, but $8.00 for a sandwich, fried, and drink... not so much. Third option, Festhaus LaRosa's. 6 people, 3 whole pizzas. Yeah, we're fat. Get over it. Well, not necessarily physically fat, just fat at heart.

Then off to the usual after-lunch ride... Viking Fury. Our group makes the ride fun. We don't just scream mindlessly, we yell across at each other mindlessly. However, before we got on, we met perhaps the meanest ride OP in the history of amusement parks. "Put that phone away or I WILL stop this ride!" I'm surprised she didn't get out the flyswatter and start whacking kids as they went by... "You're having too much fun. Don't make me pull this ride over!" Well, we got on at both ends, as high as you can go. The ride started, and we started our Ruffio chants, Marco Polo Chuck Norris, and "you can fight, you can fly, you can *cokk a doodle doo*!" Some others even joined in on the fun.

Then we went to Action Zone and got in line for Invertigo. There we saw karma in action, and it was wonderful. Line wasn't too bad, just one run open. We were in line only a few minutes when a group of girls cut across the queue lines and joined 3 others. Apparently they went to the bathroom. Where's an employee or security guard when you need one? Not only that, one started smoking. People in line started to complain, but she got defiant, even when Gary pointed out she was standing right under the "No Smoking" sign. I couldn't get a picture because she kept turning her cancer stick away from me. She chained a second cigarette, then another lit up. When we passed by them in the 1 turn of the queue line, one started rolling a joint. They even lit it up just before the canopy under the loop. Again, no security in sight. As it turns out, they ended up on the same train as us, and when we got off, they were at the front of the train (facing forward first) looking down the ramp like they lost something on the ride. Oh well, tough noogies. Don't smoke weed then try to hold on to something on the ride. We got to the bottom of the exit, and someone's holding a cell phone up in 2 pieces. We all put 2 and 2 together. Yes, it was the pothead group's phone. It was one of those texting phones where you open it up to get to the keyboard. LOVE seeing karma in action. That's what you get for smoking in line. As far as the ride, I sat next to Andy facing backward to start, watching Gary and Eric. Bobby and Abby went to the back by themselves. Still love looking over and watching the faces of the others across from you. No footsie... strict rule. Wonderful ride as usual. Didn't get dizzy like I did for KIC day.

Then off to Flight Deck (still wish they called it Dogfighter or something like that). There was actually a bit of a line. 15 minutes or so. Since we walked all that way, we decided to wait, besides, it was Gary's first time on that ride too. We rode it. Kinda tame, especially most of us now can close our eyes and still lean into the ride.

Line for Sonny was too long, was actually in queue lines by the Flight Deck bridge. I believe next up was Vortex, again, a first for Gary. Not a bad wait. The line moves well for that ride. We were disappointed the monitors weren't showing the Fatboy Slim/Christopher Walken video this time around. That's an awesome video. We boarded the ride, and Andy at 6'7 or so made a mistake in sitting in the back seat. Almost broke his knees. Bobby, at at least 6'9, was the smart one and rode in the front of the car. We know he's at least 6'9, because the 2 giants took a pic of themselves in front of the Delirium sign that says you must be shorter than this to ride, and Bobby was well above that mark. Vortex was still fast. I can tell when I get out of the double loop and into the right hand turn, I really can't see straight. You get no time to recover as you head right into the corkscrew, very little trim braking nowadays. Just when you think it's over, pretzel roll with another flattering picture. Then you hit the helix and into the brake run, where you finally can get your bearing straightened out.

We then went to the top of the Eiffel Tower while there was still daylight so we can see the construction site. For the first time, really, I looked out over the horizon and discovered how far you can really see. Couldn't see Indianapolis from there, but I'm sure you can see across into Indiana. Eric and I then headed down so we could change into costumes before the re-entry cut-off time of 7:00. He dressed as a roller coaster crash test dummy and I went as Grim Reaper (some thought I was the Crypt Keeper, but not quite. I don't have the looks for that). Security had a problem with my hood, so I pulled the hood back a bit and put on my Cubs hat. Yes... The Reaper is a Cubs fan. Maybe that's why they haven't won a World Series in 100 years.

We all waited out front for the chasers and other scare actors to come out. Bobby found the redneck fish-looking guy and decided to have some fun with him. When Fish Man wasn't looking, Bobby came up behind and started redneck dancing and party-guy'ed him. After a few seconds, Fish Man told him to grow up. Hmmmm, they can play with us, but we can't play with them. No fun.

We walked around for a bit then decided on a nighttime run on The Beast. Line was a bit longer this time, with one turn open in bottom queue lines, all of middle queue lines open, and all of top queue lines open. Wait was about 45 minutes to an hour. Not too bad. We decided in line that Andy, Abby, and Gary were going to try a haunted attraction. Eric, Bobby, and I were going to try riding some more. I don't go to Halloween Haunt for the haunted stuff. I go to ride coasters until 1:00 am in the dark, frosty weather, contact lenses freezing to my eyes. We finally got on The Beast for our nighttime ride. Dark. The moon wasn't up yet. Waxing crescent you know. I love riding that thing in almost complete darkness. Beast was faster than the daytime run. Temps in the 40s, slick track. Love it. Guessing it got close to 70 mph in the helix. Tunnels were freaky dark.

After Beast, we split up. Eric, Bobby, and I did another ride on Red Racer. The other 3 went for the attraction near the Scrambler. There was actually a queue turn open for Red Racer... 15 minute wait. Unusual, but not bad considering how packed the park was. Another fun ride. I love The Racer. Classic down-and-back woody. Great air time.

We got off and got a call from the other 3. They were still in line by the Scrambler (don't know name of attraction there). We were going to ride something else and meet up after that, but as we walked by Scrambler, they saw us. They were tired of waiting. Then there was a little spat with the "Cahones" clan. I stayed out of it. It was about 9:30, and with Gary being the senior member of the group (read... OLD), they decided to call it quits. He was done with coasters. He rode what he wanted to and had a blast doing so. Eric and I stayed. Had some ice cream and sat down for a bit. Long day you know. This is where we saw some disturbing and, frankly, dangerous activity.

Looks like the gloves are off when it comes to the chasers and sliders. When they find a ripe group of people, they don't just scare them, they start to give chase. We saw 1 chaser running after a boy about 14 or so through Action Zone. It was crowded, and they're both running through groups of people. Extremely dangerous, especially running through fog machines. Saw another chaser going after a woman (about 20) through the Coney Maul midway. The guest ran behind one of the midway games, you know, where only employees can go. The chaser kept going after her. She turned around, and when she emerged from behind the game, she tripped and fell over the curb trying to get back on the main path. She was banged up pretty bad. The chaser just walked away. Third incident of a slider chasing a group of 5 girls (probably 16-18 years) out of the fog by Vortex. The slider chased them through the line at the Dipping Dots stand and up to the area of the X-Base entrance.

We've never seen chasers and sliders actually chase people this far and this long. It wasn't like they were walking or jogging after these people. They were at a dead-out sprint. I can't believe Kings Island would let these scare actors give chase like that through hundreds of people in the middle of the night through a darkened park and through areas of thick fog. Is this something new, or are the actors going a bit too far? It's one thing to scare people. It's quite another to give chase and dodge people who have no idea what's coming at them or what's going on. Besides the inconsiderate yahoos smoking in line for Invertigo, this would be my major complaint of the day. They're creating an extraordinarily dangerous situation by chasing/sprinting after people just to scare them.

It was 10:30, and with the ice cream and cool temperatures, Eric started shivering and getting queasy, so we called it a night. Besides, we had to get back to Indy. Not sure I could have made it if we stayed until 1. It was hard enough to focus leaving that early. All in all, it truly was a fun time had by all, especially the born-again KI virgin. All he knew was Beast and Racer. Everything else was new. Even overheard his conversation with his wife... "I've been shaken, flown, flipped, suspended, and inverted." We think he'll be back. Gotta do Diamondback .

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Nice report touchdown 62, I would guess it took you about as long to write your report as to how long you were at Kings Island. Thanks for taking the time to share Papa Cahones adventures with us. It’s always nice going with someone who has not been in a while.

[touchdown62]

Nah, not quite 11 hours, but I was almost late for work!