8/8/14 Impromptu Evening Trip Report

[homestar92]

So this evening around 7:30, I decided that I wanted to go to Kings Island. I've been really burned out on Kings Island lately, but I figured I could make it by about 8 and get in a solid two hours of rides, which is better than sitting at home and doing nothing. So I put down the top on my car, hopped in and headed for Kings Island via 275 to 71. I got to the park at 8 and much to my surprise, at some point they stop staffing the parking tolls, because there were no employees to be seen. Not that it matters for me, since I have a Platinum Pass, but I found it odd. Anyway, I pulled ol' Blue Streak into an available spot in row 51 and headed into the park. As is tradition, I headed straight for Coney Mall and the finest steel coaster in the park, good ol' Vortex. Vortex was a walk-on in most rows, but 7-1 was taken, so I went to 6-2. The ride is still solid in 6-2. Good air on the first drop, only slightly less intense than in 7-1. Since there was no line, I made a quick loop around and went for another ride, this time walking right onto 7-1. After another great ride, I decided to move on to something else, so I headed up the midway toward Action Zone. On the way, I got a quick ride on the Blue Racer. I was surprised to see them running both sides today, but I won't complain. After Racer, I continued to Adventure Express and got a very eerie ride with the entire train to myself. It was very... different. Of course, since it's the finest non-inverting coaster at Kings Island, I had to go around and ride it again. And yes, I did say that, and yes, I've been to Rivertown. The second time around, I had to sit in front of a couple who felt it necessary to talk in great detail about how much they dislike both Adventure Express and Vortex. I wanted to ask them why they would ride it if they hated it so much, but I resisted the urge. Even still, my jimmies were thoroughly rustled by their comments. I quickly got over it, though, because a ride on one of the finest coasters in Ohio can cure almost any ail. I decided to go ahead and continue in my path toward Action Zone and got in a ride on Banshee. It was a stair wait and I was on the ride in about 5 minutes. Row 2 needs a wheel replaced, it's a tad shaky, but by no means unpleasant. By this time, it was getting sufficiently dark, so I headed for one of my favorite night rides, The Bat. It was a great ride as usual, and I've decided that 1-2 is actually my favorite row on that ride (odd considering that even numbered rows on two-row Arrow cars are not typically very tall person friendly). Oh how I long for the days when they allowed re-rides. I could ride The Bat all day, but if I am forced to walk all the way back to the shortcut path between the entry path and exit path, re-rides are simply not happening often for me. Anyway, I really wanted to spend the night hours in Coney, so I headed back that direction next.

Back in Coney, I contemplated riding Flight of Fear. The line was back to about the first bend leading up to the stairs to the UFO. I decided to pass, as with that ride's capacity, it would be a longer wait than it's worth. I opted instead for the one-train wait on Firehawk. I don't believe I'd ever ridden Firehawk at night before and I have to say, it's a fantastic night ride. I enjoyed myself. But at this point, it was about 9:30, so to finish off the night the right way, I headed back to Vortex for two more laps. At the end of my two laps, it was 9:54, so I got in line for WindSeeker, which was just on its way up the tower. As suspected, it came back down around 9:57, and by the time we loaded and dispatched, the fireworks were just starting. I love fireworks rides on WindSeeker, and this one was no less awesome. Of course, when the ride was done, it was after 10:00, so the park was closed. On the way out, I naturally passed by the International Bandstand where Playlist Live was being performed. The song they were on at that point was Paramore's "Still Into You". I'm glad this was the song they were on as I passed. It made me stop and think for a moment. I had been burned out on Kings Island. Just a few hours earlier, it felt like a chore driving to go there, but I decided to do it anyway. And when I got there, I had one of the best visits to the park I've ever experienced. I'm at Kings Island a lot, and nothing there is really new to me. And even still, like the song says, after all this time, I'm still into it. It's easy to get burned out on something when you do it over and over, but how could I not love a place full of so many special memories with special people, some of whom I'll never get to see again? I'd say today's visit really rekindled my love for this park. And to top it all off, I got to take the long way home with the top down and enjoy the best night ride of them all, then sit down in my favorite chair and type up this trip report with a cold Redd's Apple Ale (By the way, thanks for introducing me to that drink, Devan!)

"Mama park", as at least one person here calls it, may have a lot of special things, and is certainly a top-tier amusement park. But there's only one park full of the sentimental value and special memories that I'll never be able to replace as long as I live, and it is not in Sandusky. It's not even in West Mifflin, PA, as much as it pains me to say. No, the park that will always be MY park, MY home away from home, and MY happy place will always be Kings Island. Where else?

I will also add that I needed this trip. I've spent a lot of time stressing myself over stupid things that aren't really worth stressing over, and to take a couple hours to stroll through my favorite place and enjoy some of my favorite thrill rides was a much needed break from the scary grown-up world.

[LoraX]

We were there tonight about the same time you were. We waited for FoF only because my daughter loves it. We had considered getting out of line, but it was a much shorter line than many times we have been so far this season.