Very fun first visit, 5/31/16 by MaestroJr

[MaestroJr]

Hey guys, sorry it took me a few weeks to get those posted, I tried posting earlier this morning but it erased it, but I had an awesome first visit and I already am about to go back next week! It was a great day with friends, and one of my most memorable visits. Had a blast and rode lots in the perfect Ohio summer day with highs in the 70s, sunny, and smiling faces all around. Here are the highlights and pictures I took, of a great first visit to the Island.

 

 The day started off by getting up early and picking up a few friends in Kenton County, Kentucky. Cincinnati was busy, but it was around 11:30 though. We arrived at the Island at Noon, and I really like the new entrance. We were ready for a fantastic, fun day, with beautiful skies all around. I was ready to start a memorable day at the park so we headed for Coney Mall. 

 

Our first ride of the day was Flight of Fear, as I always ride it first to avoid long waits later on in the day. It was my friends first time riding, so I told him to watch the operator press the button, and then count to 4 and look forward for the launch! Wait was around 20 minutes and it was a great ride as usual, and helped us wake up for other rides and was a great starter ride. 

Next, it was off to The Racer, which we rode a couple of times because it only had a 3 minute wait. I rode backseat both times on the Blue Racer, and it was a very fun couple of rides on the Blue train. Lots of bumps, and airtime. Lots of fun even though we didn't get to race the Red train, but still fun as always. I always have loved The Racer, and never get tired of it! 

Next, we stayed in Coney Mall for a ride on the mighty Vortex! Wait was 5 minutes, although my friend couldn't ride it as he's 6'8", and couldn't get secure enough in his seat. That didn't stop me from riding however! A great, rough ride on Vortex, with lots of airtime on the first drop, and a rough, but awesome ride going up the loops. Great fun on The Vortex!

Next we decided to stay close to the area and ride the Father not the Son but The original wooden monster, The Beast! Continuing with the day's tradition that me and my friend made to ride only backseat on everything, we of course rode backseat. It was a fast and rough ride on The Beast. Anyone who has ridden backseat on The Beast knows what I mean. Even though it's probably the roughest seat, you get the most airtime, and g-force, on both of the lift hills. An amazing ride on The Beast, but for all you Phantom Theater fans, the only picture I took while in line for The Beast was of the Flash Powder barrel from Phantom Theater that is still being used over from Haunt, it is still being used, and can be found at the end of The Beast's line heading towards the Ride's Photo Booth at it's exit. I love seeing anything from Phantom Theater being used even though it is just a barrel that was used as a prop on the ride. Most people probably don't even know what it is from, unless they ask me as y'all know I love Phantom Theater, and I hope for it's return. Having ridden Phantom a lot as a kid, I would love to experience again as an adult as I know many on here would as well. Truly a gem, as even an old barrel from it makes me smile and brings back so many memories of me riding on the Phantom Theater many moons ago! Loved to see it still being used after all these years later!

Next we headed towards the Action Zone area, and towards the Adventure Express. We waited the shortest line I've ever had on the Adventure Express as crowds were eating lunch mostly. Walk-on pretty much, like a 2 minute wait. A great ride on the Express, and it was nice to see that they gave it some TLC in the off-season, with some new lights and they fixed most of the effects like the spears in the beginning and the final lift hill's forbidden, "Now you will Pay" tiki men looked really good, almost new. And the melting liquid coming out of the final guy's "bowl", (don't know what else to call it), was flashing and looked brand new. A great ride on the Adventure Express as we continued riding back-seat. It seems to go really fast in the backseat.

Next we went farther into Action Zone by riding our newest coaster, Banshee! I had forgotten how much I love Banshee as I hadn't ridden it since she opened in 2014. While riding I realized how much and why I love Banshee and we had an amazing time riding, and I couldn't stop smiling and laughing. I was having too much fun! A great ride on Banshee!

Son of Beast flame in full effect!

Next we headed back to ride The Bat, the line was 5 minutes and we got a couple of rides in and took advantage of the short line. We rode backseat to carry on the theme of the day but rode front seat second time due to no one in line. A fast, fun ride on The Bat as always. I've been riding The Bat since it's "Top Gun" days, and it always is fun, and always brings a smile to my face. I also like the new decals on the front car, kind of a white bat, but looks very cool.

Next I though that I got lucky as their was no one in line for Son of Beast, until someone told me that it wasn't operating today, bummer, maybe next time! Cough cough sarcasm cough cough. 

Next we took a trip to Invertigo, which I refuse to call it that, so to me and my friends its still FACE/OFF, or as I like to call it, The Screamin' Demon on steroids. It was my friends first time riding so he screamed like a baby, I have ridden it before so for me it was a lot of fun. A bit rough, but lots of fun going up in the loops. Probably the best ride I've had on Invertigo. It always has a good view of the park.

Next we entered Planet Snoopy/International Street to ride the haunted castle know as Boo Blasters on Boo Hill. Since it was a short wait and had nice cool air conditioning to chill us out, we rode it 3 times in a row. It was nice to see a lot of new effects, and new ghost, but a bunch of things still were broken, the mummy was working, but the tourist is still not, and Boocifer wasnt moving and only said "dance to my phantom mu" before going silent and didnt finish his sentence. The cool thing was at the end of the ride before the skeltons if you look at the floor you can see the infamous fog screen effect that lasted two weeks. You can see Boocifers face on the floor and it does the whole scene where he speaks and then dissapears. Except since there is no fog, the effect doesnt work fully, but it is still cool to see it, and if you look to the floor before the skelton scene you can see his face trying to do the fog screen effect. Our blasters worked ok but I still love Boo Blasters as it holds nostalgia for me as I have ridden it as Phantom,Scooby,and Boo Blasters and it hold many memories for me and I will always love it. It hold a special place in my Kings Island heart and it will always be my favorite ride, and I will always ride it every visit.

The "peace" sign from Scooby is still on the Blaster. And when I took this picture, it was dark, but I brighted it up a bit and it shows the main first scene of the ride.

This picture is the synopsis at the beginning which explains who Boocifer is, and what a Boo Blasters is.

I only took a few photos on Boo Blasters mainly to be respectful to other people riding and to the park employees. A very fun trip through Bleakstone Manor with lots of smiles though! Next we rode Banshee again, and again backseat. Probably the best ride I've had on Banshee so far and I felt lots of g-force, and again lots of smiles and laughs! A great ride on Banshee, then we traveled to The Racer again to race a few more times for the Blue train, and then once for the Red train. A bumpy, rough ride on The Racer, but lots of fun though! Then we rode Vortex one last time as night fell in southern Ohio. A good ride on Vortex, and then we wanted to ride Boo Blasters again and it was well worth it. This was the best ride I've ever had on Boo Blasters. 4 times a charm! Both me and my friend had perfectly working guns, and the cars were moving a little slower than usual and we both achieved Master Blaster and even got a congrats for the ride opperator for getting such a high score! Most of the props worked this time as well. It was like it sprung to life all the sudden and defiantly was the best ride I've ever had on Boo Blasters on Boo Hill!

Our last ride was a night ride on The Beast. After watching the fireworks, it was time to ride! It was a great,fast, and thrilling ride on The Beast! You couldn't see a thing, but that made it better! We rode 2nd to front seat, and had a fantastic time on The Beast! Probably my best ever night ride on it and defiantly will be my favorite Beast memory! 

As the park closed I took 2 more photos of Diamonback, and the Eiffel Tower.

We traveled home and bid farewell to the Island, tired, but we were also happy to have a great, memorable visit! Thanks for reading, I had to type it again because the first time it didnt save and it wouldnt let me post it so I had to do it again but I hope you enjoyed my photos, highlights of my visit and let me know if you were there on May 31 as well, and if so I hope you had a great visit as well, and you might have even seen me! Thanks also to the Park Staff for making it a wonderful visit, I really appreciate you guys! Thanks! I look forward to many more fun visits to the Island this year as well as visits to a few other amusment parks throughout this year!

Final Ride Count:

Blue Racer-4

Red Racer-1

Bat-2

Beast-2

Banshee-2

FACE/OFF/Invertigo-1

Adventure Express-1

Vortex-2

Flight of Fear-1

Boo Blasters on Boo Hill-4

Thanks so much for reading! MaestroJr

[VortexBFForever]

I was also there on May 31, but from 9:40-1:00. I also rode the rides in a completely different order. I have a trip report from that day!

 

Sounds like you had an awesome day!

[Haru-Kun]

Excellent trip report, and great photos! Thanks for sharing.