Kentucky Kingdom

[Drummermattk]

Just wanted to post a review of sort haha. 

 

On Thursday, I was invited to attend Kentucky Flyer Media Day at Kentucky Kingdom. This was my first media day I have been invited to since i started my media channel back in 2017 and I could not thank Kentucky Kingdom enough.

 

To start the event off, all attendees gathered at the park's picnic pavilion to enjoy some delicious food made by the park's executive chef. As pictured here, i had some of the pulled pork on a slider bun, corn, shrimp cocktail and some melon. Behind the picture was my adult beverage (remember kids, 21 and over and yes they where checking ID's). Against The Grain brewery was at the event and I cannot remember what I had. None the less it was quite good!

 

Onto the ride!

Kentucky Flyer was not my first coaster by Gravity Group. However, it was the first Gravity Group coaster that I have rode with Timberliner trains and let me tell you what, these trains are comfy! The entrance for the ride is located over near Skycatcher and you can find the beginning of the line to the right of the test seat (shown below). The ride is themed to a WWII aircraft (or so I would assume) and in the queue line are some coll little posters of aircraft's with flight terms and their definitions.  The queue line goes under neath the rides transfer track, with stairs that lead up to the ride after passing under the transfer. 

As you can see, Kentucky Flyer can run with two trains, a blue train and a silver train. Both trains are 6 car long and can hold 12 passengers per train. The ride itself is really fun. With a max height of 47 feet, a top speed of 35 mph and 12 airtime moments, I can honestly say this ride really caught me by surprise. The airtime hills give riders a good mixture of both floater and ejector airtime.. My favorite part of the ride however is the quad down and the 2nd to last airtime hill.

 

If you have ever though about heading to Kentucky Kingdom for a day of fun if you've already visited before, or going for the first time, I highly recommend visiting. While the park has a good mixture of roller coasters, flat rides, family rides and thrill rides. Kentucky Flyer mixes in well with the park's lineup. The ride itself is a great introductory coaster and it is an amazing coaster that everyone, no matter what age can enjoy. Please enjoy this video I put together from Media Day that includes off-ride footage, ride POV and rider cam POV here:

As well as some pictures from the event:

The ride's test seat, with the line starting to the right of it.

While there isn't much theming to the ride, there certainly is some cool theming in the queue

Kentucky Flyer's silver train coming in for a "landing"

views from the Deep Water Dive slide tower showing the ride heading to the turnaround and on it's return course to the station.

What a view!

Kentucky Flyer's Blue Train heading up the ride's Lift Hill

 

I did see above this post about someone mentioning ride lighting around a lot of rides. The park is bought out the Saturday before Opening Day by Vex Robotics where the park is open for those guests in the evening and the park lights up all their rides.

The park does offer an out of state ticket for out of state residents for $39.95 (before tax). The out of state deal once purchased includes tickets for 2 days, free soft drinks for both days as well as free inner-tubes and sunscreen for every guest who visits. You can purchase out of state tickets in person at the park ticket booths or online here: https://shop.kentuckykingdom.com/webstore/shop/viewItems.aspx?cg=outofstate&c=consecday

[IndyGuy4KI]

Nice review and pics @Drummermattk!

[BeeastFarmer]

Kentucky Kingdom has been killing it on social media lately.  I am going to post a YouTube link that was very well done, and it shows the LED uplighting I discussed earlier.  Seems like alot of work and expense for a private event.  But it looks beautiful!

 

 

[Creed Bratton]

That looks nice...but in reality when will people actually get to see these?

[Drummermattk]

3 hours ago, Creed Bratton said:

That looks nice...but in reality when will people actually get to see these?

agreed. Most people still dont know that the ONLY time people ever get to see this is during the VEX Robotics buyout............fun to imagine about it though!

[BeeastFarmer]

The only time I have been to KK after dark was in 2016 during the state fair.  If I remember correctly, they were open until 10.  It was nice to see the lighting packages on the rides, but they did not have LED uplights back then.  

[FoolCrzy]

I wonder if this is a hint toward expanded hours...

[Creed Bratton]

I have heard rumblings that Ed Hart is retiring after this season. 

[BeeastFarmer]

Louisville has cut all public pools from its' budget this year. A local company bought 300 season passes for low income kids, with a lottery system of distribution. The result was a disaster, with police being called in. It's a real shame that the vouchers could not have all been distributed, but with the way the adults were acting, I hope they (the adults) never step foot in the park. One interviewee was complaining about how unfair it was, while flashing her hair, makeup, iPhone and artificial nails....to get the voucher, you had to provide proof of being on federal/state assistance programs.

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[calakapepe]

That's a little worrisome! Seems that there are at least some small plans for 2020 at the Kingdom, however!

 

[BeeastFarmer]

The " Fun under construction" signs have been there since the teasing for Eye of the Storm began. I could see a couple of flats going in there eventually.

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[SonofBaconator]

The park should get a 4d free spin. I'd treck down for that!

[Outdoor Man]

6 hours ago, BeeastFarmer said:

Louisville has cut all public pools from its' budget this year. A local company bought 300 season passes for low income kids, with a lottery system of distribution. The result was a disaster, with police being called in. It's a real shame that the vouchers could not have all been distributed, but with the way the adults were acting, I hope they (the adults) never step foot in the park. One interviewee was complaining about how unfair it was, while flashing her hair, makeup, iPhone and artificial nails....to get the voucher, you had to provide proof of being on federal/state assistance programs.

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I've led (and managed from afar) "giveaway" promotions in the past.  There is just something about a goodwill gesture that causes people to instantly morph the situation into an entitlement and demand free stuff.  It's embarrassing.

 

[Imperial79]

Kind of surprised nobody has brought this up yet,  but yesterday it looks like there was a big rain storm hit, and KK made all of their guests leave during the storm.. Their Facebook page has guests pretty mad with the park.   I believe last year I think something like this happened as well at KK.. I have never seen KI do anything like that. 

[FoF96"]

On KKs Facebook page they have out of the blue as per usual announced an announcement for today.  I wish I knew how to link Facebook posts but I do not.  No time given but it will likely be on social media per the usual.

has a backdrop of a dark forest and simply says “Big announcement tonight!”

[silver2005]

 

 

[Maverick44]

They are brining Halloscream back to the park this season. That is what the big announcement is!

 

[BSBMX]

Sometime last week I saw a post on Reddit as well as some comments on Discord about some construction going on behind Kentucky Flyer and DWD. Nobody had any clear pics but few comments were made about footers being poured. 

I live in Louisville, so I stopped by today to check it out. You can see pretty well from the Comfort Inn's parking lot that they're only adding sewer drainage to this area. From the looks of it, this will be a paved parking lot at some point. 

Perhaps this is a sign that a second entrance to the park will be added, one that's right by the waterpark. Though I'm not really sure where the actual entrance would go since the lazy river, Kentucky Flyer, and DWD all block access into the park...

 

In my satellite pic, the bulk of the drainage was in the red circle (I'm guessing the land slopes towards this corner), but there was drainage all the way up to the yellow circle too, so this new parking lot will take up essentially this entire area. The green circle was some manholes that was also recently added. 

[Winterfestguy]

There has been a rumor that a second season pass only entrance will be added by the corner of T3 and the outdoor theater used for the bird show - this lot would be the parking for season pass holders if that is true.   However, KK has been in dispute with the Fair Board over parking promises in the KK contract, so this new parking lot may be the settlement (but nothing has been in the news about such a parking settlement).

[stashua123]

Kentucky kingdom hosted 32000 guests over the past weekend. Including a record breaking 18,484 guests on Saturday. This is the most the park has seen since reopening in 2014.

https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2019/08/11/kentucky-kingdom-sets-single-day-weekend-attendance-records/1982392001/

[Winterfestguy]

Kentucky Kingdom 2020 passes were on sale during the Kentucky State Fair this weekend for $59.95 (same benefits as last year and entry into park for the rest of 2019 plus Hallowscream this year.) Also, the two new huge season pass parking lots behind Kentucky Flyer are now complete and likely ready for use at Hallowscream.

[Winterfestguy]

Hallowscream line up was announced this afternoon.  For their first year this line up looks very impressive and offers something new from some of the other parks that will have the exact same haunted houses/mazes as last year.

https://www.kentuckykingdom.com/halloscream

[BeeastFarmer]

Gotta say that I am impressed with the lineup for KK's Halloween event.  Two haunted houses and what looks like 3 scare zones, or specialty areas.  Plus Friday the 13th in the theater.  And I have to wonder if the "King of Halloween" is a jab at Kings Island?  On the surface, it looks like it is just a natural progression of having a King of the Kingdom, but it just seems like they are challenging Haunt.

 

 

[Winterfestguy]

Unlike KI and CP, the crowds at KK for Hallowscream have been just right with minimal wait times.  It was nice to see the park alive again at night (last time was when SF owned the park).  One really cool thing KK did was to line and light the pathway track of the antique autos with tiki touches - really cool and spooky touch.  KK also used their picnic grove to outsource their two haunted houses (free with 2020 season pass).  Maybe KI could utilize their picnic area for some desperately needed new haunt mazes (it really is a good use of typically unused space in October, and outsourcing is the word in business these days.)

 

[BeeastFarmer]

I just about spit my coffee out.  Kentucky Kingdom has posted a spoof of the Orion announcement on their Twitter page.  I think it is about the funniest thing I have ever seen on coaster social media.

I love KI and Orion, but this spoof...they are genius on social media.  Go check it out.

 

[Oldiesmann]

Here's the tweet for those who don't want to go looking for it

 

 

[BoddaH1994]

On 10/20/2019 at 12:02 PM, Winterfestguy said:

Unlike KI and CP, the crowds at KK for Hallowscream have been just right with minimal wait times.  It was nice to see the park alive again at night (last time was when SF owned the park).  One really cool thing KK did was to line and light the pathway track of the antique autos with tiki touches - really cool and spooky touch.  KK also used their picnic grove to outsource their two haunted houses (free with 2020 season pass).  Maybe KI could utilize their picnic area for some desperately needed new haunt mazes (it really is a good use of typically unused space in October, and outsourcing is the word in business these days.)

 

KI will never outsource their mazes again.  As soon as they figure out how they can do things on their own they will.  They used Oak Island Creative for one of their mazes, Sleepy Hallow Horror, but that was because Paramount had made a request to the parks to do something with brand consistency.  On that same token, I often wonder if they'll always use RWS for talent during Winterfest.  There's always someone who wants to know how things can be done cheaper and the in house option is always a good starting point.

[BeeastFarmer]

Outsourcing makes sense for full time employees, which are the minority at KI.  The hospital I work at has outsourced housekeeping and food service for years, and recently outsourced clinical engineering and patient transport.  

For WF entertainment, though, I think they may stick with outsourcing unless they dramatically increase the number of days the park is open during the event.  I think it would be very difficult to find high quality talent that would perform 3 days a week, with a 8 hour workday.  

As mentioned in another thread, the park has outsourced a company to run a few of their stands over the last few years--Juke Box Diner and Snoopy Grill specifically.  If the labor market continues to challenge them, I could see them expanding this relationship rather than reducing it.

[BeeastFarmer]

Kentucky Kingdom has announced something interesting. On this week's show, the CEO of Dippin Dots will be the subject of Undercover Boss and this episode was filmed last summer at the park!

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[SonofBaconator]

I think they should invest in a raptor clone and an S&S 4d freespin since there aren't any of those anywhere close to Louisville. Anything to give them a more unique edge over KI.