PAL Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Hello KI Central. For summer vacation, I'm taking a spin around the area's coaster parks. This will be my first time to KI, and I'm looking forward to finally checking it out after all these years. I appreciate your tips to maximize my limited time at the park. That late in the season, what kind of maximum waits should I expect? I can come by on Sunday or Monday. Since I don't expect to make it back for quite a while if at all, I'd like to get on each of the coasters and if all goes well, grab re-rides on the best ones. Especially Diamondback. I've been reading the big debate about Fast Lane. For a once in a lifetime visit, the difference between waiting 30 or even 20 minutes and hopping on after 5 or 10 is a huge one. On Monday the park is open from 10 (well, 9:30 for Plat Pass) to 8 pm. What's the chance I'll get one of those dream days, when most lines are station waits and it's possible to breeze through the park in a few relaxing hours? By the way, if you come to my home thrill park Magic Mt, that's one of the best weeks of the year. Most of the local schools are already in session, yet the park still has daily operation. X2 wait times get as low as 10-15 minutes. Unheard of! Finally, if anyone here can weigh in about Cedar Point that same week, it would be awesome. CP is open 11-9, the first week with shorter hours. Will the big four still develop those slow, hour plus lines? I hope not! Thanks for reading, and if you ever come out west, it would be my pleasure to return the favor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcgoble3 Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 (edited) Welcome to KIC! I've been reading the big debate about Fast Lane. For a once in a lifetime visit, the difference between waiting 30 or even 20 minutes and hopping on after 5 or 10 is a huge one. On Monday the park is open from 10 (well, 9:30 for Plat Pass) to 8 pm. What's the chance I'll get one of those dream days, when most lines are station waits and it's possible to breeze through the park in a few relaxing hours? By the way, if you come to my home thrill park Magic Mt, that's one of the best weeks of the years. Most of the local schools are already in session, yet the park still has daily operation. X2 wait times get as low as 10-15 minutes. Unheard of! As a general rule, if KI is closing at 8 pm, that means they expect VERY light crowds. Last year, when I visited on the same week, I got a one-train wait for Firehawk in the middle of the afternoon with only one train running; on a normal summer afternoon, Firehawk often produces waits of 45–60 minutes or even longer with both trains running, so that should give you some idea of how short waits can get that time of year. The 21st and 22nd may be a bit early to get that, as few schools have started yet, but a quick series of Google searches show that quite a few start on the 23rd and others later that week, so the park should be pretty empty for you as I would guess many parents have put an end to KI trips and the like to focus on getting their kids ready to start school. The Fast Lane pass would almost certainly be a waste of money on those days, so I would recommend not bothering with it. Have fun! EDIT: removed incorrect statement about Mason schools Edited July 22, 2011 by jcgoble3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingsrattler Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Mason Schools start school on that Monday: http://masonohioschools.com/calendar_events.cfm?theyear=2011&themonth=8&cat=0&location=0&buildit=1&dir=&keyword=&printpage=0&&AddSportingEvents=0 And the other adjoining school districts also start school that week between Monday and Wednesday. I would say it would be pretty safe to assume it should be fairly dead. But we always know what happens when we assume.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAL Posted July 22, 2011 Author Share Posted July 22, 2011 ^^That's what I was hoping to hear. Of course, sometimes the best laid plans don't work out the way we hope.. I've been reading about the park. Do I have this right? The low capacity rides are Firehawk (is there anything slower than a Vekoma flier?), Invertigo, maybe Flight of Fear, and The Beast during 1 train ops. Anything else to watch for? And how about CP that week? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcgoble3 Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Mason Schools start school on that Monday: http://masonohioschools.com/calendar_events.cfm?theyear=2011&themonth=8&cat=0&location=0&buildit=1&dir=&keyword=&printpage=0&&AddSportingEvents=0 Bah! I punched "Mason High School" into Google. Never thought to make sure I got the Ohio school. Thanks for the correction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingsrattler Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 I would say to expect more of the same at Cedar Point, maybe a little thicker. I would still expect a wait on Top Thrill Dragster(mainly because of down time back up) though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KI FANATIC 37 Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Welcome to KIC! Anytime after school starts is much less crowded than in the summer. I'd say Cedar Point is still pretty crowded then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOPGUN1993 Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 ^^That's what I was hoping to hear. Of course, sometimes the best laid plans don't work out the way we hope.. I've been reading about the park. Do I have this right? The low capacity rides are Firehawk (is there anything slower than a Vekoma flier?), Invertigo, maybe Flight of Fear, and The Beast during 1 train ops. Anything else to watch for? And how about CP that week? Thanks! Kings Island doesn't pull the crazy 1 train crap Six Flags Magic Mountain does. Don't worry about that. Beast will always have 3 trains unless it is a very very very dead weekday early in the season and then it might have 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAL Posted July 24, 2011 Author Share Posted July 24, 2011 Kings Island doesn't pull the crazy 1 train crap Six Flags Magic Mountain does. Ahh, couldn't resist, could you? Magic Mountain's operations are vastly improved the past several years. Admittedly, they blew it with Apocalypse this spring / summer. There's no excuse to run a single train on your practically brand spanking new GCI for what seemed like forever, not even to tear off discontinued theming and a failed audio system. I still give them some credit for trying "immersive" theming. Otherwise, off-season single train ops are vastly better than a closed seasonal park. I'll take it. By the way, the park's new Roller Skater is quite the ride. Wait a sec, I actually meant Green Lantern, the ZacSpin. So intense, it's a good thing it isn't any longer. Do you guys have any favorite seats for The Beast or Diamondback, or any other riding tips? Can hardly wait to give them a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcgoble3 Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 Do you guys have any favorite seats for The Beast or Diamondback, or any other riding tips? Can hardly wait to give them a try. On The Beast, the middle row of each individual CAR (not the middle row of the train) will be the smoothest. The back row of each car will be the roughest. Front seat is worth a try, as is (IMO) the second to last row. On Diamondback, seats may be assigned depending on how long the line is (if it's anything more than a station wait, they will almost certainly assign seats). If you have the opportunity to choose your seat, I recommend trying both the front and back seats. If a ride op is assigning seats, he/she MAY be willing to take requests for specific seats, but there are no guarantees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAL Posted July 25, 2011 Author Share Posted July 25, 2011 On The Beast, the middle row of each individual CAR (not the middle row of the train) will be the smoothest. The back row of each car will be the roughest. Front seat is worth a try, as is (IMO) the second to last row. Got it - the trusty non-wheel seats. How about Racer - is there any air in the front or back? Guilty secret, I'm looking forward to Flight Deck. Not too many suspended coasters left. I hope there's more to it than Draggin Iron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustin Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 My dad always liked to sit 1 seat in front of the last car but i think im gonna try to sit in the front seat as much as I can but if i get to ride mutiple times i may set in the back but big drops are fun when your in the first seat but thats my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingsrattler Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 Flight Deck is an amazing coaster compared to ID. Plenty of speed, and unlike ID, the train gets going fast enough that it sways back and forth. (I recommend riding in both the back and front seat) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcgoble3 Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 On The Beast, the middle row of each individual CAR (not the middle row of the train) will be the smoothest. The back row of each car will be the roughest. Front seat is worth a try, as is (IMO) the second to last row. Got it - the trusty non-wheel seats. How about Racer - is there any air in the front or back? Guilty secret, I'm looking forward to Flight Deck. Not too many suspended coasters left. I hope there's more to it than Draggin Iron. For the most part, seat choice on The Racer is a tradeoff between roughness and airtime. The back row of each car (preferably the front car or back car) will give the most airtime, but will also be the roughest. However, I got some nice airtime in the front row of the third car yesterday, especially on the bunny hill right before the turnaround. The front seat is also worth a try. Flight Deck is IMO better than Iron Dragon (at least that's what I assume you're referring to), but it is shorter, as in "you'll spend more time on the lift hill than you will on the actual ride" short. The front seat is by far the best seat on Flight Deck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAL Posted July 25, 2011 Author Share Posted July 25, 2011 ^That's ok, I think all of the remaining suspendeds have one flaw or another. Magic's Ninja is a nice little terrain ride, maybe the best of those left, but it ends with a buzz-killing lift into the station. And yes, I was referring to Iron Dragon. It's a little too uneventful for my tastes. Thanks everyone for the advice. You seem to care deeply about KI. I know I'm in for a good time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingsrattler Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Just as a little comparison, Iron Dragon is 2800 FT long, Flight Deck is 2352 FT. Iron Dragon goes 40 mph, Flight Deck goes 51 mph. I would say one of the reasons Iron dragon feels like such a longer ride than Flight deck is the slower speed, and that dreaded lift hill in the middle so you can make it back to the station. Facts provided from RCDB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teenageninja Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 If you are trying to maximize your day, I would suggest starting off (after ERT) at Firehawk and Flight of Fear. After that, you should be able to get on everything in a pretty timely manner. As a general rule Diamondback's line is typically longer in the morning than it would be in the afternoon. Enjoy your trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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