Best Experience ever on one of KI's coasters?

[israel09]

Anything that made the ride memorable or great?

[countess_of_tuscany]

My best experience was the first time that I rode The Beast - I instantly fell in love! It is my favorite coaster in the entire universe!

Edit: I just thought of another after I posted that ^. The first time that I went on Adventure Express was so funny and memorable - Here's what happened: Jeff (count_of_tuscany) had been to Kings Island and was always telling me about "the best ending of any ride in the world" - he said that he wouldn't tell me what it was, that it was absolutely amazing and I had to see it for myself (this was, obviously, before I ever went to Kings Island). So in 2008, I finally got to Kings Island for the first time and I was most excited to ride Adventure Express to see the awesome ending! I was SO excited when we started up the last tunnel with all the arm-punching guys because he said the best ending ever was coming up right after the tunnel! (I was ready for something spectacular and I was so pumped!) ... Then the coaster train gently went right back into the station! I was in shock! He wanted to build it up for me, to actually show me the lamest ending of any ride ever! He was totally joking about it being an awesome ending! (But we always laugh about it, and we wouldn't have it any other way - we love AE!) [and last year, we did the same thing to my mom and my friend the first time they came to KI - and it was hilarious!] It just seems like something awesome is going to come right after that tunnel! I suggest trying that with someone who has never been there- it gives everyone quite a laugh!

[RingMaster]

Riding Son of Beast when the fireworks were going off back when the loop was still there. The finale of the ride timed up almost perfectly with the fireworks finale and made that one of the best ways to end the night at the park.

[HTCO]

Riding Diamondback, in complete darkness for the first time. In Row 1. Wow.

[bkroz]

Though it wasn't at Kings Island, I absolutely have to post this:

A friend and I went to Kennywood on the 4th of July (in general, I don't recommend it). We were lucky enough to ride the Thunderbolt just as the park's fireworks started going off. For those who don't know, Thunderbolt's lift hill overlooks a tremendous valley with Pittsburgh in the distance. Just as we started ascending the lift hill, both the park's fireworks were going off, and all around us, literally surrounding us, were thousands upon thousands of fireworks from the city in the distance.

I can never explain how classically romantic it was to be on a white, wooden coaster complete with traditional white lightbulbs leading up the lift hill, fireworks exploding all around you. Absolutely beautiful. Indescribable.

Gives you a vague idea of the location:

The park was very, very crowded, but I would honestly do it all over again this year just on the off-chance that we might end up on one of the three or four trains that got to experience that particular form of the ride.

[CoasterFreak45]

My first night ride on The Beast. Wow! I will never forget that!

[Thrill_Biscuit]

Opening day, 2006: My first and only Zen ride on Vortex. Had the coaster all to myself! ...and I didn't even run to get there! It was the best and worst experience at the same time, for I hadn't slept much the night before, and thus the venerable looper beat the crap out of me.

[XGatorHead 8904]

April 20th, 2008 - Little Bill's Giggle Coaster

It was GatorGirl's first time on a coaster ever, and she LOVED it. She was giggling the entire time. I have the ride photo of us from that first ride on my desk. Her face is one big smile, and she's got her little hands in the air. Anytime I'm having a bad day, I just look over at that picture and feel better (and right next to that is the picture of GatorGirl, Mrs. Gator and me on GatorGirl's first ride on a woodie, Fairly Odd Coaster on April 18, 2009. Any time an on-ride photo is available for her first time on a coaster at KI, I plan on getting it!) Sure, my first time on Diamondback is right up there as one of the greatest rides on a KI coaster, but nothing beats riding with your kid. I never would have understood that until that day.

[Buckeye Brad]

April 11, 1987

Opening day for Vortex.

Background...

I was 13 and it was my first year with a season pass. I had been to KI about once per year prior to that. I had this combination of fear and excitement over coasters, especially on The Beast and King Cobra. My first exposure to The Vortex was seeing a huge sign there the previous year. "New attraction in coming in 1987..." with a black and white concept drawing. The size, twisted layout, and number of inversions (6) blew my mind. At Winterfest the previous winter I could see the drop and hints of the loops and other steel supports. Of course, in 1987 coaster info was hard to come by, so I had to keep my eyes open for newspaper articles and TV commercials. Whenever

came on, I just about went crazy. I actually still have a special section of the Cincinnati Enquirer from a few months prior that had construction photos and interviews with Steve Okamoto and Kings Island personnel.

The buzz for Vortex was off the charts (for me anyway).

So the morning finally arrived. My friends and I showed up promptly at 9:00, and headed for the Eiffel Tower. Back then you could go up the stairs to the "50 foot" level, so we did. My first real view of this monster. I finally figured out what a "boomerang turn" was. I loved the dark blue paint with the bright orange rails. The weather was perfect. It was going to be a great day.

We descended the stairs and waited with the crowd near the floral clock. Everyone was talking and so pumped up about Vortex. I kept looking at my cheap Casio digital watch and thought 10:00 would never come. But it did of course, and the rope dropped. Some employees with megaphones pleaded us to walk. A few nonconformists headed to The Beast, but no way was I going to miss being among the first on Vortex. As we stormed into Coney Mall, I noticed the "Vortex logo trail" painted on the concrete leading us to the station. Nice touch.

The line jammed up 20 or so yards from the station house. This was fine with me because I needed some time to just admire the coaster and take it all in. From that vantage point I could see almost the entire layout, except the bottom of the boomerang and the helix. I still did not "understand" the layout, it was just so twisted.

The cheering got louder with every returning train. Finally, around 10:30, my pals and I were on board. Back seat. Ascending the hill, I looked to the right and saw a huge twisted mess of track. Somehow, someway, we were gonna be flying through that in a matter of seconds. At the top of the hill, I was sure I could see downtown Cincinnati. Then........

All I can say is that Vortex exceed every expectation. I was terrified, ecstatic, and totally blown away. Granted, this was 1987. I was 13, and my coaster experience was limited to Kings Island. But the ride delivered, that day and for years to come. I scored a night ride to close out opening day, and was up in bed all night dreaming about my next ride.

[IndyGuy4KI]

Marathoning DB with Giga on Ride Warriors Weekend in 2009 from midnight to 1am. I was already exhausted from getting there at 6am. Then during the DB ERT we were literally running out of the station and back in the queue again.

That was the first day I had personally meet Giga and within an hour you would have thought we had known each other for years. I meet and made good friends that day and will never forget it.

Also, ridding Woodstock Express with my son for the first time in 2009. He marathoned that think about 7 times in a row going back and fourth between Mommy and I as his ride partner!

[ScootZilla]

Well mine and my wifes was when we took a night ride on Vortex right when the fireworks started,But going up the lift i asked her to marry me it was so hard to hide to ring that whole day.

[PhantomTheater]

RWCW Sunday morning, being able to sit on Racer Red 1-3 for an hour and a half straight with out having to get off.

[DropZone99]

At Kings Island... Probably RWCW 2009 when I was obsessed with Diamondback, and rode it many times. The last 5 or 6 rides on DB that night sucked though because I was starting to feel kinda sick. Ever since that day I can't reride Diamondback too much or I'll feel sick, but the weird thing is, I can ride Voyage all day and feel fine!

[standbyme]

Probably RWCW 2009 when I was obsessed with Diamondback, and rode it many times. The last 5 or 6 rides on DB that night sucked though because I was starting to feel kinda sick.

Same thing happened to me that night...I had been riding it over and over by myself...then I hooked up with Jesse/Avatar and started riding with him. I started getting a killer headache (I didn't tell him.) but he just wanted to keep riding...I didn't want to appear to be a wuss so I kept riding it. I can't tell you how good it sounded when he said "I think i'm done for the evening".

[DropZone99]

Probably RWCW 2009 when I was obsessed with Diamondback, and rode it many times. The last 5 or 6 rides on DB that night sucked though because I was starting to feel kinda sick.

Same thing happened to me that night...I had been riding it over and over by myself...then I hooked up with Jesse/Avatar and started riding with him. I started getting a killer headache (I didn't tell him.) but he just wanted to keep riding...I didn't want to appear to be a wuss so I kept riding it. I can't tell you how good it sounded when he said "I think i'm done for the evening".

I think alot of people got sick that night. And to make it worst, they wanted to go to White Castle afterwards but I decided to stay at the hotel. The dropped me off and it turns out our key didn't work so I was locked outside sick for thirty minutes until they got back with White Castle. < Supposed to be a sick face.

[DaveStroem]

Last year on Father's Day riding in the front row on the last train of the night with my Daughter.

[DaveStroem]

Notice that most of the memorable moments are not about the coasters as much as they are about the people that we all were with.

[CincyMan98]

Just last weekend on rode Vortex (I was on the lift hill) right when the fireworks went off. The whole ride you could keep hearing BOOM! and a flash of light. When I got off, the finale had started.

[standbyme]

Notice that most of the memorable moments are not about the coasters as much as they are about the people that we all were with.

This is so true...a coaster just isn't the same without someone to talk to up the lift-hill.

I have always liked (and believed) this line from Bruce Springsteen's "Hungry Heart":

"Don't make no difference what nobody says

Ain't nobody like to be alone"

[KI FANATIC 37]

In June of last year my neighbor and I had one of the last rides of DB, in the front seat. What topped it off was while going up the hill the fireworks were going off. IT was one of my most memorable moments ever at KI!

[TylerRider]

My Favorite ride ever was when I first rode Diamondback at night and I was in the front row.

[sheikra_rocks]

One night last year at Diamondback.

My friend and I were in line for the front row. We boarded the train, and as we dispatched. The fireworks started going. As we rose above the trees, the full moon was visible behind the fireworks.

Was a really awesome ride.

[Oldiesmann]

Mine would have to be my first ride on a coaster. I rode Beastie on a family trip to KI with my parents, sister and uncle back in 1988. Nothing like the sinking feeling going over the first hill (and I believe this was before it had seat belts). I don't remember too much about it since I was only 6 at the time, but it was a lot of fun.

[stephatron]

First post for me, ever!

Now that I've gotten that nonesense out of the way, I would have to agree with Oldiesmann, and say it was my very first ride on a coaster at the tender young age of 7 (ok so maybe not as young as others). I remember my dad made me go on The Beastie in the front with him, and I was really scared and didn't want to but he wouldn't let me off. He must have known something I didn't because I went on that ride again and again for most of the day. Took me a while to go on The Beast but once I did, I never looked back! That first ride on The Beast was pretty awesome, I must say! It set such a high standard for roller coasters in my mind.

[frisbeefan]

I remember my first big rollercoaster: Vortex. I was very nervous because I thought I might fall out. I really don't recall too much other than the fact that it was such a disorienting expeirence, and the fact my legs hurt during the ride from all the force. That was most likely because I had never experienced any thing like that before.

[thunderbeast1968]

One summer not too many years ago, my friend a I always rode The Beast front row at night. It was pretty warm and muggy all day, then around 9:45pm it came a down pour for a few minutes. We were next but let 5 or6 train loads go in front of us, then we decided to ride before everything closed. Just about a few minutes after 10 we got on, it was so foggy, we could not see 5ft in front of us. Pitch black and fog sooo thick, what little that we could see was fog covered. The Beast trains just seemed to fly.....AWESOME!!

[Coasterkidd23]

My best ride expirence was the first time I rode The Beast at night. it took my breath away.Another was when I rode Drop Tower and the fireworks started and right before wedrop the finale came. Best expirence for fireworks. A last one is when I rode FLight Deck with my dad and saw the fireworks rite through Son of Beast. I actually Have had lots of amazing experance at ki.

[Coasterkidd23]

My dad and I went to ki one night and rode the train and we were the only one on the train. I'll never forget that.

[KIfan1980]

I only get to choose one? But I've got two kids - someone is going to think I'm playing favorites...

July 18th, 2009 - Red Racer. My then 5 year old's first day with the 48" wristband. Sitting in the brake run tunnel at the end of the ride and he says that he loves riding roller coasters with me. Riding the bigger rides with him was awesome - but that put the night over the top.

[thekidd33]

My first ride on Flight of Fear its opening year. I can remember being scared to death the whole three hours we waited for that first ride!