Kings Island 2020 Finally Open Thread

[chibul]

13 minutes ago, Winterfestguy said:

If that is true that the turnstiles won’t open until 11am, that is a recipe for disaster of people stacking up.  KI already knows people stack up after security checks based upon past Friday night Haunt and Winterfest openings (massive lines of people breathing down your neck).  They should do like they did for Saturday night Winterfest openings and sometimes in the summer where the turnstiles are open 30 min early and allow you to space out around the fountain area waiting for opening rope drops by KI theater and end of the Eiffel Tower paths.   Guess KI will learn the hard way that not opening turnstiles after 10:30 was really bad planning on their part, even if it is only 500 guests each for the 10:30 and 11am time slots.

It's 1,750 for those slots, isn't it? 

Either way, it's absolutely a recipe for disaster. It makes very little sense to do it this way. 

[gforce1994]

1 hour ago, chibul said:

It's 1,750 for those slots, isn't it? 

Either way, it's absolutely a recipe for disaster. It makes very little sense to do it this way. 

It could work. Using all available area (including picnic area underneath Invertgio), each person would get at least 29.13 sq feet, compared to the 28.27 sq ft required for 1750 people to fill in the plaza.

[PatchesC]

6 hours ago, gforce1994 said:

It could work. Using all available area (including picnic area underneath Invertgio), each person would get at least 29.13 sq feet, compared to the 28.27 sq ft required for 1750 people to fill in the plaza.

Picnic area is probably where some are going to avoid since it's the new smoking section

[dbackdreams]

1 hour ago, PatchesC said:

Picnic area is probably where some are going to avoid since it's the new smoking section

Smokies gross but it's ok because they are people just like me you. They can be at King's island just got do their smokies and come back in. Patchs is nice and good person and I know she likes all the fun stuff to do at King's island

[jimlaheyscar]

You can reserve a 2nd day now.

[PatchesC]

Just now, jimlaheyscar said:

You can reserve a 2nd day now.

I just got it, been spamming the system since 7am lol

 

[chad_1138]

Just got our second.  Thursday, July 9 @ 10:30.

[coaster sally]

Hopefully they will learn from other parks and have a ride host or security walking through the queues enforcing the mask policy.  At silver dollar city/Dollywood lots of people think they are in the clear when they are in the que and pull their masks down or take off.

[PatchesC]

The relax zones are finally on the map

 

[jimlaheyscar]

1 hour ago, coaster sally said:

Hopefully they will learn from other parks and have a ride host or security walking through the queues enforcing the mask policy.  At silver dollar city/Dollywood lots of people think they are in the clear when they are in the que and pull their masks down or take off.

Odds are they won't. 

[chibul]

1 minute ago, jimlaheyscar said:

Odds are they won't. 

Based on?

[jimlaheyscar]

Just now, chibul said:

Based on?

Every other park operating now days. 

[chad_1138]

39 minutes ago, jimlaheyscar said:

Every other park operating now days. 

I've seen and heard that Universal Orlando is doing a really good job about mask enforcement.  

[Gabe]

On 6/28/2020 at 8:09 AM, coaster sally said:

where is the gate located when you pull off the main road to go into Kings Island?

It's right across the street from GWL.  The old tolls had a north and south entry each with room for 2 cars at a time.  A few years back, those were demolished in favor of I believe an 8 or 10 lane toll with room for cars on either side (think the parking tolls at any Disney park)

[Gabe]

On 6/25/2020 at 4:46 PM, King Ding Dong said:

Great and then who monitors the big crowd outside the main que entrance trying be the next person that is allowed in line?

I don't think its difficult to place a security guard at the que entrance allowing a certain amount in at a time.  My guess is they will have the extended ques up (like for Haunt) to allow for social distancing.  Once that fills up, they may temporarily rope off the area. Find out on 7/2, I suppose.  To Shaggy's point, I can see 60+ min waits for Orion and maybe DB.  Also, keep in mind that there will be those using FL that was prepurchased that will extend wait times.  If the park reopens daily sales of them after a time, it'll be Katie Bar the Door for Orion.

[chibul]

2 minutes ago, Gabe said:

I don't think its difficult to place a security guard at the que entrance allowing a certain amount in at a time.  My guess is they will have the extended ques up (like for Haunt) to allow for social distancing.  Once that fills up, they may temporarily rope off the area. Find out on 7/2, I suppose.  To Shaggy's point, I can see 60+ min waits for Orion and maybe DB.  Also, keep in mind that there will be those using FL that was prepurchased that will extend wait times.  If the park reopens daily sales of them after a time, it'll be Katie Bar the Door for Orion.

I think it'll be much longer for Orion after noon. At least on the first few days - after that, attendance is looking pretty sparse.

Same for Cedar Point, though...after the first couple of days, nobody's going, it looks like.

[SnakePlissken]

1 hour ago, Gabe said:

I don't think its difficult to place a security guard at the que entrance allowing a certain amount in at a time.  My guess is they will have the extended ques up (like for Haunt) to allow for social distancing.  Once that fills up, they may temporarily rope off the area. Find out on 7/2, I suppose.  To Shaggy's point, I can see 60+ min waits for Orion and maybe DB.  Also, keep in mind that there will be those using FL that was prepurchased that will extend wait times.  If the park reopens daily sales of them after a time, it'll be Katie Bar the Door for Orion.

I bet Diamondback will be walk on. Even pre Covid I would say the same. I hope I'm wrong but Orion is gonna affect Diamondback like Fury did Intimidator Flight of Fear on the other hand will have really long lines.

[chibul]

So I'm considering getting the Platinum food plan to go with our Platinum passes, since it'd be good for both 2020 and 2021 and since we're going to CP on the 13th. Can I get a brief summary of how it works from someone that's used it? Are there any restaurants that are exempt, how do I order, are there any certain things I need to know, etc?

[Benjamin22]

1 minute ago, chibul said:

So I'm considering getting the Platinum food plan to go with our Platinum passes, since it'd be good for both 2020 and 2021 and since we're going to CP on the 13th. Can I get a brief summary of how it works from someone that's used it? Are there any restaurants that are exempt, how do I order, are there any certain things I need to know, etc?

Its worth the money if you go alot, you get two meals a days when you visit with a 4 hour wait period between each meals. The drink plan is also very much worth it (the disposable cups are the best option imo) you can get a refill every 15 minutes. To get a meal you just scan your season pass at checkout (This year im also guessing you can mobile order if your pass is linked to the app). Here were the 2019 dinning options for KI

Spoiler

 

Chicken Shack

Hand Breaded Chicken Tenders with Fries

Smoked Chicken Wings with Fries

Crispy Chicken Salad with Texas Toast

Chick-Fil-A

Chick-fil-A Sandwich with Waffle Fries

Chick-fil-A Nuggets with Waffle Fries

Coconut Cove Cafe

Two Slices of Cheese, Veggie or Pepperoni Pizza with Breadsticks

Entrée Salad with Breadsticks

Fresh Grilled Cheeseburger with Fries

1/4lb All Beef Hot Dog with Fries

Coney Bar-B-Que

Rotisserie Chicken with One Side

Tri-Tip with One Side

Pulled Pork with One Side

Smoked Sausage with One Side

Smoked St. Louis Ribs with One Side

Skyline Chili 

Two Cheese Coneys with Fries

3-Way

4-Way

Skyline Express (Soak City Water Park)

Two Cheese Coneys with Bag of Chips

Coney Subway

Six-Inch Sub and Bag of Chips

Festhaus

Two Slices of Cheese, Veggie or Pepperoni Pizza with Breadsticks

Chicken Tenders with Fries

Fresh Grilled Cheesebuger with Fries

Gluten Free Pizza (include GF logo next to line item)

Hank’s Mexican Grill

Burrito

Burrito Bowl

International Street Skyline Chili

Two Cheese Coneys with Fries

3-Way

4-Way

Island Smokehouse

Hand Breaded Chicken Tenders with One Side

Fresh Shrimp with One Side

Smoked Chicken Wings with One Side

Pulled Pork with One Side

Juke Box Diner

The American Double Stack Burger with Fries

Chicken Tenders with Fries

Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Fries

1/4lb All Beef Split Hot Dog with Fries

LaRosa's Pizzeria 

Two Slices of Cheese, Veggie or Pepperoni Pizza with Breadsticks

Entrée Salad with Breadsticks

Miami River Brewhouse

KI Salad: Spring Mix Salad

Hail Caesar: Classic Ceasar Salad

Clucks & Barrels: Chicken Tenders with Tots

BBLT: Loaded BLT with Tots

Three Pigs: Pulled Pork Sliders with Tots

Pub Burger: Cheeseburger with Tots

Big Dog: 1/4LB Split Hot Dog with Tots

Impossible Burger: Vegan Burger with Tots

London Bridge: Fried Cod Sandwich with Tots

Panda Express

Two Entrées Bowl & Side 

Planet Snoopy Grill

Chicken Tenders with Fries

Fresh Grilled Cheeseburger with Fries

1/4lb All Beef Hot Dog with Fries

Corndog with Fries

Rivertown Potato Works

Gluten Free Chicken Tenders with Fresh Cut Fries (include GF logo next to line item)

Subway

Six Inch Sub and a Bag of Chips

Tom + Chee

Classic Grilled Cheese and a Bag of Chips

BBQ Bacon Grilled Cheese and a Bag of Chips

 

 

[King Ding Dong]

1 hour ago, chibul said:

So I'm considering getting the Platinum food plan to go with our Platinum passes, since it'd be good for both 2020 and 2021 and since we're going to CP on the 13th. Can I get a brief summary of how it works from someone that's used it? Are there any restaurants that are exempt, how do I order, are there any certain things I need to know, etc?

What Benjamin22 said but realize not every item is on the menu and usually just the basics. The value proposition is a bit different with kids especially if they are picky or don’t eat much.  With limited items on the menu it can make it harder for a family to all eat at one place and sometimes all a kid needs is a cheaper snack and not a full basket meal so the math is not all 1:1.   Portion sizes are different between parks as well, CP in general has smaller portions than KI. (1 pizza slice instead of 2, 1 Panda entree instead of 2)  Also you can’t use the basket price to do the math as the basket combo includes a drink but the dinning plan does not.  Maybe it will be fixed this year but you cannot use the Dinning plan and drink plan from the kiosks in the same transaction, it will charge you for the drink, so you will end up needing to go to the cashier for a drink plan refill anyway.   You can give it a try but you will likely want to go all Office Space on the kiosk before you are done.  
 

Also be prepared for occasional but rare IT glitches and the cashier says your Dinning plan is not activated that day.  Ask to speak to an area supervisor instead of huffing it all the way to Guest Services to get it straightened out. 

4 hours ago, SnakePlissken said:

I bet Diamondback will be walk on. Even pre Covid I would say the same. I hope I'm wrong but Orion is gonna affect Diamondback like Fury did Intimidator Flight of Fear on the other hand will have really long lines.

Possibly, but I noticed no shorter lines for Maverick or any of the other big coasters at CP the past couple of years after SV was added.  

[chibul]

6 minutes ago, King Ding Dong said:

What Benjamin22 said but realize not every item is on the menu and usually just the basics. The value proposition is a bit different with kids especially if they are picky or don’t eat much.  With limited items on the menu it can make it harder for a family to all eat at one place and sometimes all a kid needs is a cheaper snack and not a full basket meal so the math is not all 1:1.   Portion sizes are different between parks as well, CP in general has smaller portions than KI. (1 pizza slice instead of 2, 1 Panda entree instead of 2)  Also you can’t use the basket price to do the math as the basket combo includes a drink but the dinning plan does not.  Maybe it will be fixed this year but you cannot use the Dinning plan and drink plan from the kiosks in the same transaction, it will charge you for the drink, so you will end up needing to go to the cashier for a drink plan refill anyway.  
 

Also be prepared for occasional but rare IT glitches and the cashier says your Dinning plan is not activated that day.  Ask to speak to an area supervisor instead of huffing it all the way to Guest Services to get it straightened out. 

 

Is there a way to tell what each place will have as an option for the meal plan, in terms of the app or whatever?

No kids, so that's not too much of a big deal for us. The other things seem like technicalities. We're really only considering it because of 2021 being included as well (we planned to hit 4 different parks this year, but obviously that's going to be pushed off to 2021 now). 

[jimlaheyscar]

There is also a daily option.  $30-35 gets you the same meal as the dining plan every 90 minutes during the day.  We sometimes do that and share or alternate between 2 of us.  

If you are only going 5 or 6 times, the daily might be better for you.  

 

[IceePirate]

9 minutes ago, chibul said:

Is there a way to tell what each place will have as an option for the meal plan, in terms of the app or whatever?

No kids, so that's not too much of a big deal for us. The other things seem like technicalities. We're really only considering it because of 2021 being included as well (we planned to hit 4 different parks this year, but obviously that's going to be pushed off to 2021 now). 

Check the FAQ of the dining plan, that should list the options

[King Ding Dong]

Just now, chibul said:

Is there a way to tell what each place will have as an option for the meal plan, in terms of the app or whatever?

No kids, so that's not too much of a big deal for us. The other things seem like technicalities. We're really only considering it because of 2021 being included as well (we planned to hit 4 different parks this year, but obviously that's going to be pushed off to 2021 now). 

Benjamin22  posted the current items in a spoiler tag and the park usually has a printed Dinning guide you can pick up on the way in. That may be different this year with no printed park maps. Don’t think the app listed menu items in years past, but hopefully they will this year. Keep in mind items are “subject to change” and in years past they have yanked things around or had ill trained associates.   Issues I can recall are changing the entree options at Panda mid season and some salads listed on dining plan menu but associates saying it is not on the plan.  I don’t recall hearing any major issues last season however.   Most menu boards will have dining plan symbol next to eligible items.  

[SnakePlissken]

50 minutes ago, King Ding Dong said:

What Benjamin22 said but realize not every item is on the menu and usually just the basics. The value proposition is a bit different with kids especially if they are picky or don’t eat much.  With limited items on the menu it can make it harder for a family to all eat at one place and sometimes all a kid needs is a cheaper snack and not a full basket meal so the math is not all 1:1.   Portion sizes are different between parks as well, CP in general has smaller portions than KI. (1 pizza slice instead of 2, 1 Panda entree instead of 2)  Also you can’t use the basket price to do the math as the basket combo includes a drink but the dinning plan does not.  Maybe it will be fixed this year but you cannot use the Dinning plan and drink plan from the kiosks in the same transaction, it will charge you for the drink, so you will end up needing to go to the cashier for a drink plan refill anyway.   You can give it a try but you will likely want to go all Office Space on the kiosk before you are done.  
 

Also be prepared for occasional but rare IT glitches and the cashier says your Dinning plan is not activated that day.  Ask to speak to an area supervisor instead of huffing it all the way to Guest Services to get it straightened out. 

Possibly, but I noticed no shorter lines for Maverick or any of the other big coasters at CP the past couple of years after SV was added.  

That's apple's to oranges. Maverick is arguably the second best ride in that park, sits next door to Steel Vengeance and is a completely different ride experience. Diamondback on the other hand is likely a very similar ride to Orion. Just not as tall or fast. I hope I am wrong but my basis for that is comparing Fury to Intimidator. Also in both Carowinds and Kings Island the rides in question do not sit beside each other. I do think Orion will be a top 2 ride in the park with the other one being Mystic. I expect Diamondback to fall from my top 2 in the park down to 4 or 5 due to Orion likely having the 2.0 effect. 

[Benjamin22]

Id be so happy if DB had a short line, I think it'll always be my favorite ride in the park.

[disco2000]

It is always interesting to see other peoples experiences.  With the exception of Fury's opening year, every year since, I have always found the Intimidator line longer than Fury.  Like I have literally had just about a walk-on for Fury and go over to Intimidator and a decent size queue awaits me.  I have waited in a 30 minute Intimidator line and go over to Fury and wait 10 minutes - and for the front seat no-less.  I have actually rode Fury more times than Intimidator just because the line hasn't been as long in my visits.

It has been comical a few times when I started to enter the Intimidator line and people are leaving the queue saying "This line is too long, let's go ride Fury, it's like this just taller and faster with a shorter line".

I think Diamondback has such a good following that I think it will still command decent size lines.  And if the Orion line is too long, people will say "let's go ride Diamondback, it is the same ride just not as tall or fast"

[PatchesC]

2020 Park Map pdf is now available. Antique Cars, and Race for Your Life have been dropped off the Fastlane as well. I'm assuming they expect higher demand?

https://cdn-cloudfront.cfauthx.com/binaries/content/assets/ki-en-us/general-information/explore/directions/2020-kings-island---park-map--guide.pdf

[SnakePlissken]

17 minutes ago, PatchesC said:

2020 Park Map pdf is now available. Antique Cars, and Race for Your Life have been dropped off the Fastlane as well. I'm assuming they expect higher demand?

https://cdn-cloudfront.cfauthx.com/binaries/content/assets/ki-en-us/general-information/explore/directions/2020-kings-island---park-map--guide.pdf

I didn't realize the log flume was a Fast Lane ride. Antigue Cars was Fast Lane Plus last year. This year Orion replaces it.

[PatchesC]