Kings Island Trip Report: June 22-23

[WindingSon]

After a crazy spring that disallowed me a trip to Kings Island, my girlfriend and I made it down to drink the park all in again. We had purchased our gold passes way back in September and could not use them until late June. I was practically salivating for a taste of what 2015 could bring.

One of the more interesting parts of walking into the park for me is deciding what to ride first. We arrived around 3PM and the lines did not seem that bad for most rides. I checked the KI app on my phone and it said Banshee had a 5 minute wait. In my final trip report for 2014, I mentioned that I rode Banshee and did not feel out of balance after riding it for the first time. In previous 2014 trips, I would get off the ride feeling nauseous and unable to ride again. I wanted to see if that had carried over to 2015. I like riding Banshee, but I like keeping my lunch down slightly more.

I am happy to report that my motion sickness from riding Banshee appears to be cured. I have a theory that looking at the train ahead of me, and not down or up, seems to help ease my head and allow it to catch up easier than it did before. Banshee is a very forceful ride, and I'm glad I can now ride it as much as I want.

I forgot to mention that the park was very hot this day, but we brought our souvenir cup voucher which helped immensely. Staying hydrated on a day like that is of utmost importance to your enjoyment of the park. I was determined to get at least one night ride in on The Beast, so fill and refill the cup we did.

Next, I craved a ride on Vortex. After falling in love with this ride last year, I was excited to get back on it again. Still as good as ever, and hopefully not sinking too badly.

Diamondback was reporting a 30 minute wait and I decided that was just a bit much for me so I made my way back down Coney Mall to get on The Racer. I did not slam the lap-bar down like I did last year and had a very enjoyable ride. The bunny hills just after the first drop are quite exciting. A ride on Adventure Express followed, with no line to speak of.

Around this time I was feeling hungry and a little exhausted from the heat, so we took a detour into the Festhaus. Panda Express is one of my go-to meals at Kings Island and it was fine. The Down Home Country show was pretty entertaining.

Looking at the app again, Diamondback's wait had gotten longer and I decided that ride was likely a loss for that day. The Beast however, only reported a 15 minute wait so that was next. I don't think it was quite as thrilling as last year but it was still a great, great ride. I took another walk-on ride on Vortex next with no disappointment.

We tried out the Coca-Cola Freestyle machine in the train station next, which is a nice addition to that area. Only one machine had ice though, so I hope that's something they're working on to avoid. We took a trip on the train too but did not get off at Soak City. I like the soundtrack they play when you arrive at the water park though.

By this time, the park was beginning to get dark. We took a ride on the carousel which was a nostalgia trip for me as I believe I had last ridden one in 1990. A nice detour when you need a break from the thrill rides that envelop the park. A ride on Boo Blasters on Boo Hill is also a nice distraction from the heat, and I finally was able to win a round.

Another short Banshee ride followed next, and then the park seemed dark enough for a night ride on The Beast. This is something that needs to be experienced by everyone who comes to KI. You're racing through the woods with no end in sight and nothing to light the way except fireflies. It's an unmatched thrill. We then made our way to the front of the park as it was nearing closing time. The fireworks show was the cap that made this day a #KIBestDay.

The next day we arrived at the park around 10:30AM and it seemed hotter than the day before it. I took a ride on Banshee, The Racer, and Diamondback. Diamondback gets better every time I ride it, though I did get stuck at the brake run for a good 10 minutes. The heat was so oppressing that I could not stop sweating, so we again went into the Festhaus to have lunch. Let It Rock was being performed this time, and I thought it was a little bit better than the Country show. However, upon exiting the Festhaus, we both decided that the heat was too much and left the park.

Hope to be back soon, though a trip to Carowinds may be in the cards instead for this month. I forgot to have Blue Ice Cream, but considering the heat I may have ended up wearing it as opposed to eating it.