KI and Soak City 8-22-12

[ohiocolts]

Hello everybody! I took one last trip for the summer to Kings Island and Soak City today, as I go back to school tomorrow. I went with my mom, my sister Lucy, and her friend Abby, and we were also going to meet up with my friend Nathan and his family. (Lucy mostly “controlled the operation” >. )My mom had to work in the morning, so no ERT. We did get there around 10:15, and we all headed off to Flight of Fear.

Looks like painting and stuff for a Haunt attraction, Massacre Manor, unless it is being renamed/rethemed this year.

I guess it’s being renamed Scrambler .

Anyways, we walked into Flight of Fear. We walked right up to the station, and there was lots of rows with no lines. So, after just waiting for 1 launch, we got on. On the ride, I was looking for any light shining thru the walls from the damage. I thought I maybe saw a little something, but I’m not sure if it has to do with it or not. Anyways, Flight of Fear was a good ride. My mom thought I and her should ride Vortex, (Because they won’t do it. They won’t even try 5-1!) while maybe they do WindSeeker. So, we did just that.

I saw a bit of empty rows for some seats on Vortex, and it was a literal walk on for 5-1. It was of course a great ride in 5-1. Abby and Lucy were still in line for WindSeeker, I also wanted to do WindSeeker, the line was short enough we would get on the next ride, so we went in line for WindSeeker to. We walked on to our seats. It was a nice, relaxing ride. Great view too, of course. Then, I wanted to try Xtreme Skyflyer for the first time. I had money, and I’ve always wanted to do it, so we headed back to Action Zone.

As I would have hoped, it was only $5. Lucy and Abby went on Flight Deck without me . My mom stayed and watched. I bought my ticket, and got in line. They were only operating 1 side. I waited maybe 10 or 15 minutes until I started. I watched the other rider’s free fall. Soon, it was my turn. They strapped me onto the rope thingy. Then, the what I call “Stand to Fly” moment was crazy, too. You just got whooshed to flying position. Soon, I went up.

I was pretty nervous. I was really high, I believe 200+ feet, looking down. “3 2 1 fly”. I pulled the cord, and then I was falling to the concrete. Luckily, my harness saved me from dying. The rest of the ride was smooth flying. But that first drop… It feels like you are falling to your doom. It was a crazy, fun ride. Definitely worth $5. Oh, and here is a video of me on the ride my mom took with my iPod. The quality is not the great, but it is still something.

Hopefully I did that right...

After that insane ride, I found out Abby and Lucy were riding Drop Tower without me again. I hoped to come back to AZ later, but that never did happen . So much for “Lucas’s fun day of riding all his favorite rides that he likes with no lines” day. Oh well, we then headed to Diamondback. There was no line for Diamondback, just a station wait. I was walking to the back row, but of course my sister dashes ahead of me to get there before me. I should have reported that, as I believe it is line jumping. Anyways, I got next to back row, but I wanted to put my arms back on the splashdown. It was still an awesome Diamondback ride.

Lucy and Abby were hungry, so we went to eat. I didn’t want to have to get the pizza combo for the 5th straight time, so I and my mom got a taco salad from Hanks. I got an instant reward for a free Thunder Alley ride. Lucy got a sub from Subway. But, a $5 footlong at Subway is $5, and 12 inches, right? Well, they are $6 here. And the $6 isn’t for a footlong, it’s for a 6 inch. Overpriced. We then went into the Festhaus to meet up with Nathan and his mom, his little brother Owen, and littler sister Emma, who both recently turned 7.

They paid $30 for the Gold Pass Pizza Meal “Deal” thingy. A big taco salad, that my mom and me easily split (And I was full) is only like, $7.50. Turns out they just got here, and they decided to do White Water Canyon. I would not do that, for multiple reasons. We would then meet up in Soak City. I rode The Racer, and Lucy and Abby did Delirium. Thru the queue, I looked at FOF and could kind of see some sort of damage, but I didn’t get a good view. Only the Red side was open, and I just had to wait for 1 ride. The ride ops were being a lot of fun today at The Racer. They get the ride ops of the day award. The Racer was a great, FUN ride. I then met up with Abby, Lucy, and my mom, and we left to Soak City, with not nearly as many rides as I was hoping to get in.

When we got to Soak City, it looked kind of crowded. But, the reason it seemed crowded? Most of the slides were closed. The only slides open were Mondo Monsoon, Rendezvous Run, Tropical Twister, and the kiddie slides. I was a bit disappointed. Probably because there aren’t enough lifeguards available or something (At School). Anyways, I headed to Mondo Monsoon by myself, and my mom found a spot by Tidal Wave Bay to sit down and put our stuff.

About 3 “rows” of stairs were filled in the Mondo Monsoon line. I can’t be completely sure, but I think I waited around 20 minutes. It was a fun, cold, waterful ride! I then headed back to Tidal Wave Bay to find where my mom was. I found her; she said Nathan was here, in the wave pool, so I searched for Nathan. I eventually found him, and we stayed in for another round of waves. Speaking of waves, Breakers Bay was also closed. After that, we went onto Rendezvous Run.

There was no wait to get a mat, and about a 5 or 10 minute wait for the slide. It was a fun slide down my new favorite Soak City waterslide. Nathan then went to do Tropical Twister, while I went back to Tidal Wave Bay. I didn’t do Tropical Twister because I honestly didn’t really like it that much. I stayed in Tidal Wave Bay for just about another round, and then my mom said we had to go in around 25 minutes (They have some Y classes and work and stuff). Me and Nathan went on Splash River.

There wasn’t any line, and we got our tubes. Then, just to my luck of us about to leave, I saw Paradise Plunge open up. Grrrrr. We stayed for 1 lap of wet splash river fun stuff, and then I headed back to the wave pool to get ready to go, while Nathan did Tropical Twister one more time. I met up with my mom, and we then got ready to go, and then we left, probably our last visit to Soak City this year. Thank you Soak City! And well, after having a fun, Kings Island filled summer, it is now time to return to the classroom. Goodbye, summer! See you next year!

A couple of notes:

*As far as I know, I didn’t see anything closed at Kings Island. Paradise Plunge and Thunder Falls opened around 3:45-4:00, but I’m not sure if Breakers Bay, Zoom Flume, or Pineapple Pipeline ever opened.

*Xtreme Skyflyer is awesome. Get there early, as it’s only $5 early. Tons of fun!

*I’m glad I’ve got an awesome Amusement Park only 20 minutes away from me.

Well, goodbye summer, and,

Thanks for Reading!

[The Interpreter]

Thank you, Lucas, for sharing your trips with us.

It's been fun. I'm going to miss reading them.

And congrats on the Skycoaster ride. My first was $45, at Kennywood, many years ago. I still remember it like it was yesterday!

[TheCrypt]

I, too, love your Trip Reports. I wish you could write more of them, as each and every one of them is unique, but your passion for the park always shines through.

I wish you could have experienced Xtreme Skyflyer with a couple other friends. I don't think I would have enjoyed my first ride without my 2 friends. Although, the same rule applies to many a roller coaster and flat ride.

Thanks for the pictures. Glad you had a great first time on your first Skycoaster, glad you had a FUN time at Kings Island, and a waterful day at Soak City!

[Tanna]

Ohiocolts, I hope you don't mind my tacking my trip report onto the tail of yours, but we both went today.

This was "Pardon me while I stroll onto the front seat of every ride but Delirium and Windweeker" Day. The park was so unpopulated we kept coming across the same people in line for the same rides.

Planet Snoopy had lots of customers though. The kids were cute, so I decided to eat at Chik Fil A to people watch.

The Chik Fil A at the park is a much larger sandwich than what I get at the regular restaurants, much better tasting, and the waffle fries, which I usually detest, were realy good and crisp. I see the price tag as part of the convenience of having a known product in the park, instead of having to go outside of the park to get a sandwich of lesser quality.

I saw the FOF outer damage, it looks like the stuffing is coming out on one seam. FOF was closed when I arrived at the building, which was about 5:30. I was kind of hoping to see the workers that someone else saw the other day.

You've made me rethink Skyflyer- I might have to give it a try, if I make the physical requirements.

I'm glad you had a relatively good final day at the park. It was a perfect day for it.

[ohiocolts]

^Thanks for your take on the day. When I did stroll through Planet Snoopy, it looked a bit crowded, one of the days The Great Pumpkin Coaster has a longer line than Diamondback. Glad you also had a good time!

[Tanna]

Thank you.

I also forgot to add that every single time we ride Boo Blasters, my husband's gun is always mysteriously broken. Just saying.

[IndyGuy4KI]

Great report! I will be there on 8/23, sorry I missed you!

[Original]

Lucy got a sub from Subway. But, a $5 footlong at Subway is $5, and 12 inches, right? Well, they are $6 here. And the $6 isn’t for a footlong, it’s for a 6 inch. Overpriced.

A dollar an inch? Wow. Haha. Anyways, good tr!

[The Interpreter]

That's been the KI price for years, and then only a limited variety is available...of the ones I'd never buy anyway.

[KIfan1980]

And pay close attention, once Subway up sold you to a footling, the number of $5 footings on the menu reduced significantly - with the exception of during Februany and Anytober.

[VortexBFForever]

Really liked your TR. Great stuff. (I was at KI on the same day last year, 8/22/11!)