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Kings Island's Best Kept Secret


jcgoble3
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So for poll number 1,000, I figured I'd do something different. Most polls ask you what your favorite this is or what the best that is or what you want to see in the future. These types of polls are good for discussion, but in the end, they rarely accomplish anything other than wasting time. So I created this one in the hopes that we can take each other's suggestions and enhance our park experience with them.

What, in your opinion, is Kings Island's best kept secret? It can be anything at all that you enjoy or that you think everyone should do, but that few people actually do because most are not aware of it.

For me, it's night rides on White Water Canyon on a hot summer night. After dark, there's hardly ever a line, yet the ride continues operating. With practically no lights along the course, you can't see when the boat is approaching the waves, so the splashes catch you completely by surprise. I think that, provided it's warm enough, WWC is a significantly better ride after dark, yet it's a complete walk-on.

What do YOU think KI's best kept secret is?

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Wow, I'm going to have to try the WWC night ride...that sounds great.

Hank's Back Porch Bar...maybe the most relaxing place in the park.

Congo Falls...I mean, can you imagine Kings Island going into that much detail on a new water ride? It's kind of like going back in time for me...lush landscaping and all the wood...

Kings Island Theatre....while I am impressed with the ice shows they have in there, it seems like that place is under-utilized.

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The Outer Hanks shrimp and fries. Maybe I'm not the most cultured person when it comes to park food, but the shrimp really surprised me with how good it was. It's way better than anything in the Festhaus. And the seasoning on the fries is delicious. It costs more than a lot of the other food in the park (approx. $10 for a shrimp and fries basket), but seeing as how it isn't covered in a thin sheen of grease and didn't seem to have been kept under a heat lamp for hours (I'm looking at you, LaRosa's), I say it's worth it. (Granted, I've only had it once, but I'd definitely go back again.)

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Taking a nap on the train. Most relaxing thing ever.

A large (expensive) meal in the wonderfully air conditioned Festhaus, a long walk across the park in the heat of summer, a chilling ice cream cone, and dosing off into dream land as a beauitful locamotive makes its way through the secluded woods of Kings Island...

You my friend, have the right idea.

Been there, done it.

Everyone should be required to experience this at least one.

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The Outer Hanks shrimp and fries. Maybe I'm not the most cultured person when it comes to park food, but the shrimp really surprised me with how good it was. It's way better than anything in the Festhaus. And the seasoning on the fries is delicious. It costs more than a lot of the other food in the park (approx. $10 for a shrimp and fries basket), but seeing as how it isn't covered in a thin sheen of grease and didn't seem to have been kept under a heat lamp for hours (I'm looking at you, LaRosa's), I say it's worth it. (Granted, I've only had it once, but I'd definitely go back again.)

Outer Hanks fries are SOOOO good if you ask for a little extra seasoning on them (they should be able to do that if it's not extremely busy), especially if they're right out of the fryer.

Other food related notes:

1. Half Sprite, Half lemonade. Only thing I drink there, but make sure the lemonade is put in first. It makes it less fizzy if they put in Sprite then lemonade.

2. Yes, your 2000 Son of Beast cup can still be used. Cups from other parks technically can't be used, but a lot of the employees don't know that and they'll fill them anyway.

3. It surprises me how many people don't know they can get a souvenir cup refill of ICEE at the places that sell just red/blue flavors (Coney Refreshments, Subway, that place in Planet Snoopy). It's $3.18 but soooo much more refreshing than a soda refill.

4. You can refill pretty much anything with water, but please don't bring a gallon jug, and if you do, don't get mad when you get a huge eye roll.

5. If you get food and there's something missing/something wrong with it, PLEASE tell the food people. They can't do anything about it if you don't tell them, and most of the time it's a mistake caused by being tired and/or giving someone the wrong food, so don't get mad, it's usually an honest mistake.

6. Jukebox fries are amazing, and the container you get them in is slightly bigger (if filled properly) for the same price as other places. (unless something's changed, they're served in a regular container instead of a cup)

7. 20oz drinks are 4 cents cheaper at a cart than at a fountain drink location.

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I don't have as many "best kept secrets" at KI as I do at WDW, but I'd say probably high on the list is taking the time to relax and feed the fish in Oktoberfest. GatorGirl and I like to do that in between rides and shows. Also, even though it's known to many of us on here but not widepread among the GP, Adventure Express is a great night ride.

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Taking a nap on the train. Most relaxing thing ever.

TTD, I'd have to agree 100% with you! My last trip to the park (In May (ew)) I was so extremely tired our group took a ride on the train (it ended up down-pouring so the ride was longer) I sat there and just napped!

Probably not a secret to a lot of us on here.. but Surf Dog/Avatar is an amazing ride hidden in Planet Snoopy.. the airtime you get sitting on the upper rows is amazing.

Kingsrattler, I'd have to agree with this one as well. I have only ridden Surf Dog/Avatar a few times, however, each time that I've rode, it makes me smile!

As far as my favorite best kept secret, is the Xtreme Sky Flyer. My reasoning being in several parts. First part, is upcharge, when I get to the park before noon if I get to that side of the park, the tickets are usually $5. So getting your ticket as close to opening is the best way to enjoy the attraction. Another part would be that tickets can be used at any point during your visit. My final reason is that you never really know how your experience is going to go. It all depends on who you ride with and your level of fear of heights. I'm terrified of heights and I absolutely love this. I had one experience where the weight load was so high that we had to be brought back down to reduce the weight and finally getting up to the top was the scariest part, then the fall became that. I'd do this thing over and over now!

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You guys are missing the TRULY best kept secret of the park lately....what IS the limit of Fast Lane/Fright Lane passes the park will sell each day. :lol:

(Avatar loves my posts!)

What if it's a lie just so people can go "Oh no! We need to get our passes now before everybody else gets them!" perfect marketing strategy....

I think KI's best kept secret are the posters in the Thrill Seekers store. I got a Family Guy poster there for $8, and they have a ton of cool other posters.

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7. 20oz drinks are 4 cents cheaper at a cart than at a fountain drink location.

And you get a full 20 oz. of liquid instead of 8 oz. of liquid and 12 oz. of ice.

The old red and white cups were actually 22oz, if you looked at the inner rim of the bottom it said 22oz, anyway.

I feel like this is a good time to point out: if you ask for "no ice", you're going to get a lot of foam, because the ice makes the drink foam up less (don't ask me why) and the person getting the drink isn't going to spend lots of extra time making sure you're not getting a lot of foam, especially with Coke, which foams by far the most.

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For me, it's night rides on White Water Canyon on a hot summer night. After dark, there's hardly ever a line, yet the ride continues operating. With practically no lights along the course, you can't see when the boat is approaching the waves, so the splashes catch you completely by surprise. I think that, provided it's warm enough, WWC is a significantly better ride after dark, yet it's a complete walk-on.

I have never ridden it in the evening, I will have to try that in 2012!

Probably not a secret to a lot of us on here.. but Surf Dog/Avatar is an amazing ride hidden in Planet Snoopy.. the airtime you get sitting on the upper rows is amazing.

Even when going by myself I try to get a ride on SD!

Also, even though it's known to many of us on here but not widepread among the GP, Adventure Express is a great night ride.

AE during haunt is one of my favorite night rides!

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The Outer Hanks shrimp and fries. Maybe I'm not the most cultured person when it comes to park food, but the shrimp really surprised me with how good it was. It's way better than anything in the Festhaus. And the seasoning on the fries is delicious. It costs more than a lot of the other food in the park (approx. $10 for a shrimp and fries basket), but seeing as how it isn't covered in a thin sheen of grease and didn't seem to have been kept under a heat lamp for hours (I'm looking at you, LaRosa's), I say it's worth it. (Granted, I've only had it once, but I'd definitely go back again.)

Outer Hanks fries are SOOOO good if you ask for a little extra seasoning on them (they should be able to do that if it's not extremely busy), especially if they're right out of the fryer.

Other food related notes:

1. Half Sprite, Half lemonade. Only thing I drink there, but make sure the lemonade is put in first. It makes it less fizzy if they put in Sprite then lemonade.

2. Yes, your 2000 Son of Beast cup can still be used. Cups from other parks technically can't be used, but a lot of the employees don't know that and they'll fill them anyway.

3. It surprises me how many people don't know they can get a souvenir cup refill of ICEE at the places that sell just red/blue flavors (Coney Refreshments, Subway, that place in Planet Snoopy). It's $3.18 but soooo much more refreshing than a soda refill.

4. You can refill pretty much anything with water, but please don't bring a gallon jug, and if you do, don't get mad when you get a huge eye roll.

5. If you get food and there's something missing/something wrong with it, PLEASE tell the food people. They can't do anything about it if you don't tell them, and most of the time it's a mistake caused by being tired and/or giving someone the wrong food, so don't get mad, it's usually an honest mistake.

6. Jukebox fries are amazing, and the container you get them in is slightly bigger (if filled properly) for the same price as other places. (unless something's changed, they're served in a regular container instead of a cup)

7. 20oz drinks are 4 cents cheaper at a cart than at a fountain drink location.

Are you a food service worker?

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...if you ask for "no ice", you're going to get a lot of foam, because the ice makes the drink foam up less (don't ask me why)...especially with Coke, which foams by far the most.

Interesting...further proof that no matter what kind of a job a person does for a living there is always something they know that the general public wouldn't guess.

I learned an interesting "secret" from an employee while I was at the park this weekend...which bumper cars are (supposedly) the fastest...but i'm not sharing my info. ;)

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Interesting...further proof that no matter what kind of a job a person does for a living there is always something they know that the general public wouldn't guess.

I always found it ironic that people who asked for no ice in a Coke probably would have gotten more soda if they had just gotten ice. I usually tried to be nice and get rid of at least some of the foam, but when it's busy we really don't have the extra time to spend doing that.

Are you a food service worker?

Was, but I got some sense and quit a few weeks ago. Life's been a lot better since...

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^Agreed! That's why I put:

even though it's known to many of us on here but not widepread among the GP, Adventure Express is a great night ride.

Let's hope not too many people from the GP read this topic. We need to just keep it amongst ourselves so there's no line! :lol:

I for one, tried AE at night for my first time (gasp!) this past Friday night. It was an enjoyable experience! Not my favorite experience by any means, but enjoyable nonetheless. Every one has their favorite cup of tea (or coffee if that's what you prefer)

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