Things that KI can improve on

[SonofBaconator]

This isn't meant to be a roast or a bash on the park by any means so please don't treat it like one. In all honesty, we all have room to improve in life and amusement parks are certainly no exception. So please share what you think KI could improve on and what they could change to better themselves in the amusement park industry. Though this is strictly opinion based, please give a valid reason as to why you think KI would improve from your feedback.

 

Oh my, I'm starting to sound like a college professor..

[Bansheeback]

The bathrooms are very outdated. Just in terms of how they look, they could be remodeled to look better. Its not very important, but you asked!

[calakapepe]

Get more flat rides. Thrilling ones, calm ones, just some flats to fill in the empty spots in Coney and between the path and BLSC. There are increasing lines times what with Fast Lane, we need some flats that people make a priority to ride!

[King Ding Dong]

Stop unnecessarily adding petro chemicals to their ice cream. Why? Petro chemicals are not food and are harmful.

[IndyGuy4KI]

I would like to see another Reds Grill type restaurant, but a different menu (like a country kitchen with all day breakfast items) in another part of the park. I also think the current restaurants could use menu TV's at the beginning of the queue with a suggestion at the bottom to have your order picked when it is your turn to order. I would put the register first in feasible locations like Chicken Shack. Get the order and payment out of the way first, when food is ready then you just sit down instead of juggling food and trying to find your passes/money.

[CoastersRZ]

That is a very solid suggestion.  I know several locations at Disney World/Disneyland, you pay/order your food first, the move forward to the serving area.  Seems to be more efficient than picking food then having to pay for it.

[King Ding Dong]

The downside to that from the parks perspective is they don't have the same opportunity to entice you with add ons down the line like a fruit cup, cookies, juice etc.

[IndyGuy4KI]

Have an add on item cart next to the register with those items on display.

[King Ding Dong]

That is the logical thing to do, but consumers do not behave logically.

[BeeastFarmer]

It would be same concept as a drive through window, except the cashier would take the order and suggestive sell.  I'd be all for it.

 

I'd also like to see a BBQ/country style sit down eating establishment somewhere in the main park.  Hopefully the Soak City BBQ model will translate over to the park somewhere.

[King Ding Dong]

^ The JB Smokehouse has been a huge hit at SFSTL the past few years. I cold smoke food at least once or twice a week.

[PKIVortex]

Soak City is getting a new BBQ restaurant next year. Think it's going to be like a smokehouse.

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[Rivertown Rider]

I think the big things for me would be to have more cohesive theming and more flat rides.  Around the park what I would like to see:

 

Rivertown:  I would like to see more of the old town early 1900's theme like it use to have.  You should feel like you are going to an area removed from the rest of the park.  Theme specific music would be country tinged.  Improve the railroad to have more of a wild west theme like it used to.  It will be interesting to see if the theming improves with Mystic Timbers coming in which I think it probably will.  Obviously the big box where TR used to be should have something go in, preferably something that fits the area.

 

Coney Mall:  I like that Coney Mall has maintained the old theme park/fair vibe through the years.  Area music should be 80's and 90's music.  The problem largely that Coney Mall has it that the area hasn't really had major additions in years.  It added WindSeeker but there haven't really been any major additions in years.  I have noticed when walking toward The Vortex end of Coney Mall that is just a dead area of the park.  I would like to see them revamp that area with some flats.  Put in a Musik Express, a Tilt a Whirl, a Ferris Wheel, and a S&S screaming swing.  These type of rides would help with spreading out capacity.  One thing I would also do is look at moving Timberwolf back to the area where the old Action Theatre is.  If they are not really going to use the Action Theater area much except for Haunt, then build a new theater back there that is not taking up the valuable space that it is in Action Zone.

 

Xbase:  The suggestions that have been brought up on the site before about extending the area toward Adventure Express behind The Racer would be a good one.  You could bathrooms and maybe a flat ride or two.  Theme music wise I could see it being more alternative music based.  

 

Oktoberfest:  I would give Oktoberfest more of the German feel that it used to have.  German music would play in the background.  Obviously there is not as much space in that area but a small flat ride would be nice.  I think you could also put a small quick service in Oktoberfest that sold hot dogs, metts, brats, and goetta giving it more of the German feel.

 

Action Zone:  Action Zone has always felt like a hodge podge and there has never really been a consistent theme.  With Banshee and The Bat maybe you could give the area more of a Halloweenish/spooky theme.  Music wise you could still do the hits of today like they do now.  I would either move/remove Timberwolf.  I would relocate Congo Falls to either Rivertown or Planet Snoopy (if they even want to move a 30 year old water ride) and that would really open that area of the park for what they could do.  I think if we ever get a Giga that would be the part of the park that makes the most sense.  

 

International Street:  I would go back to the music of area having more movie soundtrack themes like they used to.  The area behind the Eiffel Tower on the way to Rivertown could use some rides.  Figure out a way of bringing back the antique cars and smaller flats to help with the dead area between International Street on the way to Rivertown.

 

Obviously all of these things are not going to happen but I think could help make the park even better than it is now.

[Magenta Lizard]

Roaming entertainment. I thought they were moving in the right direction with the KI Paint Department (improvisational drummers), and the KI Five (Dixieland Jazz band). But in 2016 the drummers were gone as far as I can tell from 60-some visits, and I only caught the KI Five a handful of times throughout the whole year. It's possible they were weekend-only this year (when I usually don't go), which I think is a mistake because a heavily crowded park is when roaming entertainment becomes more of a roadblock than a fun diversion.

[King Ding Dong]

I can't remember where it was but experienced a roaming magician working the lines somewhere. Just some simple card tricks and slight of hand with quarters type stuff, but the kids loved it. Would be an excellent training ground for amateurs.

CP has some band on a float type thing and a group of dancers that I saw once on a weekday afternoon this year.

[SonofBaconator]

This isn't likely but it certainly isn't impossible. Worlds of Fun has added a Wild West show to their train ride and I'd love to see KI mimic this. I know it wouldn't be possible during the regular operating season with Soak City open but they could try and do something before the regular summer season starts. They could use the plot of land by the Mary Rose Inn so everyone on board the train could see the show. 

 

Here's a video I found online if anyone wants to take a gander

[calakapepe]

I think a more likely option would be to do it during haunt time.

[SonofBaconator]

I think a more likely option would be to do it during haunt time.

 

I would be alright with that. I just want something like a wild west show or at least some interactive props throughout the course of the ride. I'm honestly tired of how the conductors make fun of the crappy props whenever they do their spiel. 

[flightoffear1996]

I would like more healthy options on the menu.  Offer some other drinks other than pop and Gatoraide at the refill stations.  Add some things like fruits and salads and thigns that are fried.  Pretty sure I gained about 10 pounds this summer because of the meal plan.

[rhyano]

Painting rides, some need it bad, looking at Vortex, Diamondback, and Firehawk

[calakapepe]

And racer

[IndyGuy4KI]

I would like more healthy options on the menu.  Offer some other drinks other than pop and Gatoraide at the refill stations.  Add some things like fruits and salads and thigns that are fried.  Pretty sure I gained about 10 pounds this summer because of the meal plan.

You might want to get on the Malem park experience plan. Which I have coined as "Maleming the Park." The program consists of a lot of walking from ride to ride, but in an interesting order. None of which may be the same twice. Here is an example: Banshee to DB, FOF, Tropical Plunge at the Water park, The Bat, BBOBH, The Racer, Train, Invertigo, FH, The Beast, Congo Falls, Gliders, Dodgems, The Beast, Banshee, back to The Beast for a night ride.

 

I might be exaggerating a little, but the last 3 he did the last night of Coasterstock. Also keep in mind that he will be from The Beast to Banshee in the time it takes a normal guest to get from DB to Beast. I will add he does not run, he is tall so a big stride and he is a power walker. If you can keep up with him at the park, you need every calorie from the meal plan.

[NewDay420]

Make it so my feet don't hurt so bad when I walk from slide to slide in the waterpark.

[SonofBaconator]

Can Vortex get some new Vekoma or even B&M trains to compensate for the constant headbanging? Though Vortex isn't as smooth as what it used to be, wing rider restraints would make the experience more enjoyable, same with Invertigo

[Creed Bratton]

7-1 my friend....no headbanging.

[Elizabeth19]

More flat/family rides would be great! Also, I think they should make sure the food service next year is better than this season. Food customer service was basically terrible this year at KI.not that it's Kings Island it's self fault but could still be worked on I think.

[SonofBaconator]

Is it me or does it seem like KI is trying to utilize tight spaces? (eg Mystic Timbers) I really hope that they transform existing spaces into future attractions or expansions (The vast majority of real estate surrounding BLSC, the Crypt building, the flight commander que, the area where Tower Gardens once stood, and the horrendous Bat que)

[IndyGuy4KI]

I would guess the atmosphere is what got MT's location picked. I think it will be a great location.

[rhyano]

I want to add to mine if i may, Music, many people brought it up, i really didn't think of it until now, for International Street i would like Kings Dominion's soundtrack they have for theirs, and a revamp with more flowers and trees if possible, and to get the buildings back into the "International feel", then for Action Zone i'd like to have a Halloween area with possibly a year round haunt, retheme it and give every area its own soundtrack, a custom soundtrack by IMAscore would be nice! They have produced some amazing soundtracks in the past, i really wish Mystic Timber's had a theme song in the station but i know that's rather costly to do and produce a custom soundtrack, or buy rights to use a song, but that's just a few thoughts.

 

Kings Dominion Soundtrack- 

 

For Action Zone, if i want to retheme it to a haunt type of area i would make something similar to Darren Brown's Ghost Train's amazing soundtrack 

[markr]

Sending trains out with a bunch of empty seats drives me crazy.  It seems to have gotten especially bad at Banshee station.  My solution would be to stop the ridiculous practice of assigning seats-simply tell people to enter the station and grab a seat especially single riders.  This causes an unnecessary long queue line even on non busy days. I have addressed this issue repeatedly to no avail.  So managment, hope you are now listening.