Kentucky Kingdom

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

Kentucky Kingdom is getting some really good upgrades! Comparing what I've read to what I've seen on Google Maps, it looks like these changes are aimed at fixing parts of the park that didn't necessarily make sense while improving it overall. I wouldn't be at all shocked if we slowly start to see the park be physically reshaped and more attractions moved around/removed to facilitate this. The three biggest obstacles/fixes I can see from my computer are the entrance plaza, the center road and its crossings (always an issue), and the way that Hurricane Bay cuts Kentucky Flyer/Skycatcher/Giant Wheel off from the rest of the dry park. 

If the park can't work something out to finally move the road, a third crossing that goes under Lightning Run and next to Giant Wheel might be the best way to lessen the dead end-edness of that area of the park.

[WoodVengeance]

Kentucky Kingdom held a live stream on Facebook celebrating the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Discovery Meadow. At the end of the live stream, the park announced they would be investing $14 million for next year and stated "We think that it's going to send everyone flying into 2026". My guess is that whatever is going to "send us flying" next year is probably going to be placed at the front of the park near Lightning Run, as many rides from that area were either removed (Cyclos) or relocated to Discovery Meadow. I will be at the park in the next few weeks to check out all the changes made with Discovery Meadow.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1AhsAkKcLj/

[WoodVengeance]

For reference, here's an overlay of all the rides that were either removed or relocated from the front of the park.

[Orion-XL200]

TBH doesn't look like that much of a space has opened up. When visiting, I've thought that area was crowded. Maybe not. 

[WoodVengeance]

3 hours ago, Orion-XL200 said:

TBH doesn't look like that much of a space has opened up. When visiting, I've thought that area was crowded. Maybe not. 

I'm thinking it could be enough land for a new flat ride or two, but I wouldn't expect something like a new coaster to go here.

[purdude86]

22 hours ago, WoodVengeance said:

I'm thinking it could be enough land for a new flat ride or two, but I wouldn't expect something like a new coaster to go here.

Overall that's what I'm imagining too. However, I think there is enough room for a coaster. The spot where the flying scooters and Cyclos were could be a station and entry plaza with break run and turnaround, and having it go out and around Lighting Run in a sort of U-shape, especially if they could utilize the full backside of Lightning Run where they currently have that small back of house are with some trailers.

[WoodVengeance]

A lot of wooden fencing around the front area of the park. Here is what it currently looks like near the former Cyclos and Prof. John's Flying Machines area.

[Shaggy]

Let the speculation commence…

(Photo credit - Brunner on FB)

[WoodVengeance]

Also the fence is painted like a barn. Perhaps it's going to be something like barnstormer?

[silver2005]

@Shaggy Is that fence where the former Vekoma torture machine was?

[Vortex1987]

2 minutes ago, silver2005 said:

@Shaggy Is that fence where the former Vekoma torture machine was?

Go ride it 22 times in a row then tell me how bad it was. LOL.

[Shaggy]

The fence is where Fearfall was originally located.  Front of park.  

[Vortex1987]

Just  a few photos from my visit  today! Discovery meadow looks beautiful... but Storm Chasers (now wind chaser) trains are hideous! Lol. 

 

Overall though, im happy the park is getting some love finally from Herschend. 

[WoodVengeance]

3 hours ago, Shaggy said:

The fence is where Fearfall was originally located.  Front of park.  

They must have painted that teaser recently because I was there last weekend and the Fearfall fence was blank.

[DiamondbackFan]

Shipping records indicate this is going to be a Vekoma SFC.  Two FAA filings show a structure height of 67 ft.

[WoodVengeance]

That's great! The newer SFC models seem to be a huge improvement over the older ones like Woodstock's Air Rail.

[johnjniehaus]

So it's going to be similar to Dragonflier at Dollywood? If so that will be a fantastic addition to the park. Those little rides are pretty fun especially if they have an interesting layout. So is this confirmed to be going on the front of the park where they took out the flats or is it going in the back of the park in the T3/River Rapids area?

[WoodVengeance]

16 minutes ago, johnjniehaus said:

So it's going to be similar to Dragonflier at Dollywood? If so that will be a fantastic addition to the park. Those little rides are pretty fun especially if they have an interesting layout. So is this confirmed to be going on the front of the park where they took out the flats or is it going in the back of the park in the T3/River Rapids area?

I assume it's going in the front area since that's where the teasers are.

[DiamondbackFan]

The FAA filings are in the front of the park.

[WoodVengeance]

Credit to RrevinEvann on Reddit for this image

This shows how Vekoma's 453m version of their SFC (Dragonflier) fits in the area cleared out by the front of the park. It's about a near-perfect fit.

[johnjniehaus]

I think that would go over really well there 

[BeeastFarmer]

I finally made it back to Kentucky Kingdom for this season, it was a real mixed bag. But in a mostly good way. The place was absolutely hopping, both the theme park and the water park were busy which is great to see. And you can tell Herschend's got their fingerprints all over it, especially with Discovery Meadow They've completely transformed what used to be a bit of a forgotten corner into something vibrant and alive. It really shows you what this park could be, and that's exciting to me.

They've done a nice job sprucing things up. Flowers blooming all over the place, new trees planted and old trees providing some much-needed shade – it all looks so fresh, yet established and well-cared-for. The new pavement and those artificial turf areas make the whole place feel cleaner. Plus, seeing the costumed characters roaming around and hearing some decent music playing? It gives the whole park a lighter, almost Doklywood vibe.  It's got a great family-friendly feel that helps  you relax a bit.  The trampoline show was fun, even though it's a two man show.  The flower festival is going on, and there are flowers everywhere.

Now, for the stuff that made me sigh. Ride operations were agonizingly slow. I get that Woodland Run is a one-train wonder, but ten-minute dispatches? That's painful-- waiting 35 minutes at the stairs? Seriously? Wind Chaser was out of commission for half my visit, too, which was a real drag. On the bright side, Lightning Run was actually running pretty smoothly with its single train. So, there was that.

And while I appreciate the free drinks with the Gold Pass, having to lug around that reusable cup is a bit of a nuisance. Cedar Fair's spoiled me with their disposable paper cups. But, credit where credit's due, this cup is thick, and my ice barely melted. They even say it's dishwasher safe, which is a nice touch.

As for Discovery Meadow, despite being a major improvement, it still had some rough edges. I know they were under the gun time-wise, but seeing concrete forms for the lighting rigs still sticking out, and cracks in the older concrete sections, just pulls you out of the magic a bit. It feels unfinished and honestly, a bit of a trip hazard.

This is where some of the old Kentucky Kingdom issues still linger. I'm hoping as the park continues to raise its standards and really leans into that family market, these things will sort themselves out. But honestly, the sheer volume of water park attire in the dry park was astonishing. Call me old-fashioned, but seeing adults in bikinis and shirtless in Discovery Meadow, even with Mile High Falls right there, just doesn't feel appropriate for a family theme park. It distracts from the atmosphere they're clearly trying to create.

Then there were the hosts. And let me be clear: this isn't a dig at their friendliness – everyone I encountered was great. It was more about a lack of urgency and support. Case in point: at the Bluegrass Bakery, I was the only person in line, wanting some cinnamon bread to go. The lovely young lady literally had to track down a supervisor just to log into the register, and then someone in the back had to assemble the bread. What should have been a two-minute transaction dragged on for ten. If the place had been slammed, it would've been a total mess – and I've witnessed that scenario there myself.

Same story at the pizza place. Again, I was the only customer. I wanted a drink and a grab-and-go pudding. They had a non-verbal special needs host at the drink station, which I absolutely support, but there was no support person nearby. It led to this awkward two-minute wait just to get a drink. I genuinely felt bad for that young person; they clearly needed more immediate assistance. Then it was another two minutes just to find a cashier and ring up the pudding. It's those little things that can add up and can really sour the experience, especially when those locations arent busy.

Despite these frustrations, I truly believe this park has a bright future. As Herschend continues to put their unique stamp on every part of the park, elevating the whole experience, it's going to become better. It will finally shed the lingering ghost of Six Flags, and even the narrative of being "the park brought back from the dead." What Ed Hart accomplished in reviving Kentucky Kingdom was nothing short of a miracle, and the current investment is clearly building on that incredible foundation.

The front of the park, even with some ride shuffles and one removal, still feels cohesive. And with that entire back section now fenced off, from Taco Tequila to where the Larson Loop used to be, it feels like big things are coming. With continued investment, both the front and back of this park are going to be in fantastic shape.

 

[brenthodge]

5 hours ago, BeeastFarmer said:

And while I appreciate the free drinks with the Gold Pass, having to lug around that reusable cup is a bit of a nuisance. Cedar Fair's spoiled me with their disposable paper cups. But, credit where credit's due, this cup is thick, and my ice barely melted. They even say it's dishwasher safe, which is a nice touch.

YES - Feel this each time I go to Dollywood. I used to think the paper cup options was silly.... till I had it. SO much easier especially solo trips.

 

[BeeastFarmer]

Hearing that Kentucky Kingdom was out on lockdown for an "active aggressor" in the water park. It was then evacuated and will be closed for two hours in a cooling off period. 

This is all the information I have as it popped up in my feed, listening on the radio dispatch app. 

Update:  now hearing that the park closed for the day. Also heard that the aggressor was at the expo center, not KK.  Also, the found the magazine near one of the expo buildings.  People are still in the 5d cinema, amphitheater and HR offices at KK. 

Update: LMPD says no shots fired at Kentucky Expo Center and Fairgrounds https://share.google/YCCKtBpTj5iQ0j5Ax

[Timchat2]

We finally made it to Christmas at Kentucky Kingdom. While the event is modest in scale, we had a very pleasant evening. It was a bit surreal to have Dollywood-style cinnamon bread but nice to have a seasonal variation like cranberry cinnamon bread with cranberry icing.

The snow tubing hill set up in the wave pool was quite steep and fast, which was a contrast to the one at Kings Island's WinterFest (which might be limited by the available space in Action Zone).

The light coverage on a number of the buildings was impressive to go with the "house style" of the Herschend parks even if it perhaps lacked some of the precision of Dollywood or Silver Dollar City. Still though, the amount of photos being taken made it clear guests liked what they were seeing.

It's nice to have another holiday park event relatively close to the Greater Cincinnati area. Hopefully it will stick around and flourish in the years to come.

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

I hope Herschend can continue to steadily "fix" the other parts of Kentucky Kingdom after they're done with the additions of Discovery Meadow and Flying Fox. At some point I'm sure they will renovate the front half of the park to be more up to their standards as well. One thing I'd really like to see is if they could do anything to switch around the layout of Hurricane Bay to make the back half of the park less puzzle piece-y whenever HB is closed for the season. I can believe they handle it fine enough, but I also feel like HFE is the type of company that would take on this type of project.

I think it's certainly more feasible than my Soak City rearrangement plan  

[Shaggy]

40 minutes ago, Losantiville Mining Co. said:

I hope Herschend can continue to steadily "fix" the other parts of Kentucky Kingdom after they're done with the additions of Discovery Meadow and Flying Fox. At some point I'm sure they will renovate the front half of the park to be more up to their standards as well. One thing I'd really like to see is if they could do anything to switch around the layout of Hurricane Bay to make the back half of the park less puzzle piece-y whenever HB is closed for the season. I can believe they handle it fine enough, but I also feel like HFE is the type of company that would take on this type of project.

The front half of the park will obviously undergo an overhaul and retheme over the next two years.  For 2026, there's not only the new Flying Fox coaster, but the restaurant (Casa Mia) at the front of the park is getting a massive overhaul.  For 2027, the current 4D theater will be repurposed as an indoor coaster/dark ride that I've heard has yet to be chosen.  The area around it will no doubt be overhauled - ala what they did with Discovery Cove.  There's also a floating rumor that the giant swing ride (Skycatcher) may be relocated to the front half of the park.

I'm sure the focus will then turn to the back half of the park for 2028 and beyond.  I have also heard that the park has been eyeing what to do with the rogue/poor placement of Kentucky Flyer.  This is due to the fact that its often "missed" by guests who don't know how to find it, or even know its there.    If the rumor of moving Sky Catcher to the front of the park holds true, that will leave it as the only dry ride in that back side of the park.  It would also be the only attraction negating waterpark expansion into that land area.  It will be interesting to see its eventual fate.

Finally, the Fairground's West Wing and West Wing Pavilion - adjacent to the park's entrance - are being demolished in the coming year or two.  New wings are being built to replace them.  That will affect the entire lot directly in front of the main entrance and will likely prompt a major overhaul to KK's entry plaza.

BTW - I was at the fairground this week and got to see the Flying Fox construction site up close.  Probably only about 1/4 of the footers are poured.  The station foundation is present,  Once the park closes their Holiday event this week, I'm sure they will begin tearing up the midway for the underground tunnel.  There's lots of prep work still left, so I'm sure it will be a month or two before any sort of track arrival/vertical construction will begin.

 

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

The 4D/5D theater looks to be about 16,000 square feet in total, which would be plenty of space to convert the building into an omnimover dark ride (some of the smaller dark rides only need about 6,000 sqft). More indoor attractions could help with attendance for the Christmas event as well. 

I don't really see a good way to bring more people over to Kentucky Flyer without either moving the wave pool, moving KF itself (very unlikely), or just removing it altogether. They might be able to add another crossing over near the picnic pavilions and turn that into a new area, but either way I have a feeling that we will see even more major relocations and renovations within the next 5-10 years.

2 hours ago, Shaggy said:

I'm sure the focus will then turn to the back half of the park for 2028 and beyond. I have also heard that the park has been eyeing what to do with the rogue/poor placement of Kentucky Flyer.  This is due to the fact that its often "missed" by guests who don't know how to find it, or even know its there. If the rumor of moving Sky Catcher to the front of the park holds true, that will leave it as the only dry ride in that back side of the park.  It would also be the only attraction negating waterpark expansion into that land area. It will be interesting to see its eventual fate.

The "rogue" placement is definitely a consequence of the Premier Parks-era Six Flags expansion of the park when Chang, T3, and the go karts were added in 1998. As nice as it probably was for all of those parks to receive such rapid growth at the time, it has only caused issue after issue after issue for Six Flags and almost every park that they owned.

[beastfan11]

KY Flyer was our favorite when we went this summer. Hopefully it sticks around. But yeah, bizarre placement. 
 

Totally hyped to see this park getting a lot of love. Flying Fox looks solid and the idea of a new dark ride/indoor coaster only makes me want to return sooner. So much potential. Looking forward to going back this summer. 

[Orion-XL200]

Wasn't Kentucky Flyer a part of the "expansion" land (acre or so) that the Fairboard gave to the park? Maybe not the whole acre used by the ride, but part of it.