NYE 2022 at Kings Island

[IndyGuy4KI]

Who attended and enjoyed NYE 2022 at Kings Island? What was your favorite part and what would you like to see different in the future?

Here is a preview of the NYE party and then the full fireworks show.

 

 

 

[BoddaH1994]

It’s my favorite day of the season every year! I love the party atmosphere after 10:00! 
 

It’s always a running joke within my friends group that something inherently goes wrong with the Tinker ballon drop, and this year was absolutely no exception.

Still, the balloon drop is a lot of fun to watch and kids LOVE it! 
 

I did the IR buffet last night and I do have some thoughts:

The food was excellent, service was great. 10/10 would recommend. 
 

They did it a little different this year. I bought tickets for me and my girlfriend and another couple bought their tickets. Because of this, they couldn’t seat us at the same table. They had assigned the tables this year, while it was first come, first serve last year. I totally get why they did it this way, with a sold out event; but, it kind of took away from it when our group was seated at side-by-side high tops instead of all together. I wish there was a different way to make reservations so that you could guarantee that. Even the “two top, four top, etc” options like they had for the 50th ice cream would have worked, I suppose. Or even have it so you can pick out a seat like when you buy a movie ticket.  Just food for thought. I suppose we will just buy them all together next year. 
 

[IndyGuy4KI]

It is such a fun way to end the year and begin the new one. My son Logan hit the 54" on the very last day. Two weeks ago he was just a hair to short and he could not get his 54" wristband. He was ecstatic to be able to ride FOF. We ended up getting 3 rides in on it. 

 

We  took a ride on the train:

 

Logan drove us on the KMAA.

 

 

 

Dodgem

 

Waiting for the fireworks on IS.

 

A KIC tradition for the Mods is after the fireworks we take a walk around the park. This allows the parking lot to clear out. You also get your first walk in the park for the new year. We stopped and took a picture.  

Left to Right: @pianoman, @malem, @IndyGuy4KI's daughter Kaylee, and @IndyGuy4KI

 

@electricsun and I before we left at the end of the night. We hope you have a wonderful 2023!

 

 

[Skyrider]

I had a great time at Winterfest this year and glad they offer this NYE event.  The only thing I think should be different that night is to have the rides open later than 10:30pm maybe until 11:00 or 11:30 especially since the park is open until 1:00am and offer one later showtime for the entertainment shows since it’s a special late night event.

[PKIVortex]

Rides have to be cycled off by 12am. Try kept the lines open this year till 1030.

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[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

11 hours ago, Skyrider said:

I had a great time at Winterfest this year and glad they offer this NYE event.  The only thing I think should be different that night is to have the rides open later than 10:30pm maybe until 11:00 or 11:30 especially since the park is open until 1:00am and offer one later showtime for the entertainment shows since it’s a special late night event.

The reason they close the lines at 10-10:30 is because they cannot be running past midnight. Rides have to be cycled off and keys out of the control panels before midnight as right at midnight, the certifications expire. 

[brenthodge]

As others have said, the rides do have to close (great that they didn’t do a “hard close” at 10) but I agree on the shows. I think they definitely could do one more, the problem is the tinkers cast do the countdown-balloons riot  at 9:30 and wouldnt have time between parade and that. This year they also had to move over to FestHaus and SWINGING wouldn’t have a place to do a later show with the switching around of shows. Last time the tinkers cast could do the countdown and could’ve done another show right after at 10:30. 

[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

An idea I thought of is what if they had a live band come in and do a performance in between the balloon drop and the main countdown to midnight? Ik the first year they did the NYE thing, they had River City come in and play between the balloon drop and midnight, but the last few years they haven't had any live bands do things? I believe Carowinds had a live band play as part of the NYE thing this year on their bandstand. Obviously the weather is too unpredictable here to plan for a live band on the bandstand on NYE, but why not bring in a live band to play in the festhaus after the balloon drop? Just a thought. 

[guy1115]

6 hours ago, Hawaiian Coasters 325 said:

The reason they close the lines at 10-10:30 is because they cannot be running past midnight. Rides have to be cycled off and keys out of the control panels before midnight as right at midnight, the certifications expire. 

I still don't get this.  GWL and the Zoo both operate on 1/1....and they are both under the same control of the state.   This really seems like something that should be able to be worked out.  Plus they lost 1-2 days of revenue with the way the holiday hit this year.  

[disco2000]

10 minutes ago, guy1115 said:

I still don't get this.  GWL and the Zoo both operate on 1/1....and they are both under the same control of the state.   This really seems like something that should be able to be worked out.  Plus they lost 1-2 days of revenue with the way the holiday hit this year.  

There are so many things that come into play here.  What do they pay for the permits?  Is it a lot cheaper that it is only for 8-9 months?  Is the additional expense worth the 1 hour into the following calendar year?

Doesn't it mean it can't be done, but it isn't as simple as saying "I don't get this" or "GWL and the Zoo and Scene 75 and blah blah blah" run year round.  Everything comes down to cost.

[CoastersRZ]

What does Canada`s Wonderland do with their rides on New Year`s Eve?  Or what about Carowinds/Kings Dominion?  I know they are all different jurisdictions.  Just wondering if they kept their rides going.  Carowinds and Kings Dominion are different this year, since they are going to year round operation with weekends in January and February, 

I get that the ride certification calendar typically runs through December 31st.  But Dollywood typically is open a few days into the new year with their Smoky Mountain Christmas.  Seems like the park could get another couple of nights of Winterfest with all the set up and preparation they do for the event.  

Sadly, I still have not ridden Flight of Fear at Winterfest yet.

[brenthodge]

19 minutes ago, CoastersRZ said:

What does Canada`s Wonderland do with their rides on New Year`s Eve?  Or what about Carowinds/Kings Dominion?  I know they are all different jurisdictions.  Just wondering if they kept their rides going.  Carowinds and Kings Dominion are different this year, since they are going to year round operation with weekends in January and February, 

I get that the ride certification calendar typically runs through December 31st.  But Dollywood typically is open a few days into the new year with their Smoky Mountain Christmas.  Seems like the park could get another couple of nights of Winterfest with all the set up and preparation they do for the event.  

Sadly, I still have not ridden Flight of Fear at Winterfest yet.

Dollywood runs through the last WEEKEND of the season. Like if new years falls on Tuesday they would still be open till Sunday of that week. This year with where the holiday fell, they just ended on the 1st.

[disco2000]

43 minutes ago, CoastersRZ said:

What does Canada`s Wonderland do with their rides on New Year`s Eve?  Or what about Carowinds/Kings Dominion?  I know they are all different jurisdictions.  Just wondering if they kept their rides going.  Carowinds and Kings Dominion are different this year, since they are going to year round operation with weekends in January and February, 

I get that the ride certification calendar typically runs through December 31st.  But Dollywood typically is open a few days into the new year with their Smoky Mountain Christmas.  Seems like the park could get another couple of nights of Winterfest with all the set up and preparation they do for the event.  

Sadly, I still have not ridden Flight of Fear at Winterfest yet.

Canada's Wonderland only goes until 9pm on NYE...

And as you pointed out, the other parks you mentioned are governed by different permitting authorities than in Ohio.

[MDMC01]

59 minutes ago, CoastersRZ said:

What does Canada`s Wonderland do with their rides on New Year`s Eve?  Or what about Carowinds/Kings Dominion?  I know they are all different jurisdictions.  Just wondering if they kept their rides going.  Carowinds and Kings Dominion are different this year, since they are going to year round operation with weekends in January and February, 

I get that the ride certification calendar typically runs through December 31st.  But Dollywood typically is open a few days into the new year with their Smoky Mountain Christmas.  Seems like the park could get another couple of nights of Winterfest with all the set up and preparation they do for the event.  

Sadly, I still have not ridden Flight of Fear at Winterfest yet.

You should totally do that in 2023... it's the best time to ride as the lines aren't nearly as crazy as they are in the summer*.

*Well, this year FoF seemed busier than usual during WF for some reason... 

[BoddaH1994]

1 hour ago, CoastersRZ said:

What does Canada`s Wonderland do with their rides on New Year`s Eve?  Or what about Carowinds/Kings Dominion?  I know they are all different jurisdictions.  Just wondering if they kept their rides going.  Carowinds and Kings Dominion are different this year, since they are going to year round operation with weekends in January and February, 

I get that the ride certification calendar typically runs through December 31st.  But Dollywood typically is open a few days into the new year with their Smoky Mountain Christmas.  Seems like the park could get another couple of nights of Winterfest with all the set up and preparation they do for the event.  

Sadly, I still have not ridden Flight of Fear at Winterfest yet.

I’m pretty certain that the parks that do NYE close their rides at 10:00. My understanding is that, in addition to many of the reasons already mentioned, they want people in the park to contract to I-Street after 10:00. 

[Skyrider]

Thank you for the information about the midnight certification on the rides.  I just think KI could offer more after 10:30pm that night when they stay open until 1:00am.  More entertainment in the Festhaus or the bandstand with live bands performing up until midnight would be a great addition.  Look at what Epcot does at their World Showcase on NYE.  Would be cool to have live bands in different locations with drink options available.  Not as big as Epcot but on a smaller scale and drowned out all the blowing horns. :)

[brenthodge]

8 hours ago, Skyrider said:

Thank you for the information about the midnight certification on the rides.  I just think KI could offer more after 10:30pm that night when they stay open until 1:00am.  More entertainment in the Festhaus or the bandstand with live bands performing up until midnight would be a great addition.  Look at what Epcot does at their World Showcase on NYE.  Would be cool to have live bands in different locations with drink options available.  Not as big as Epcot but on a smaller scale and drowned out all the blowing horns.

Agree that smaller “temporary stages with live acts would be good. I think they honestly don’t want too much spread through the park though since the goal is to funnel people down to I street by 12 so they can get the park empty and closed. Maybe a stage in front of Festhaus and use the stage from 4 drummers for another act. 

[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

3 hours ago, brenthodge said:

Agree that smaller “temporary stages with live acts would be good. I think they honestly don’t want too much spread through the park though since the goal is to funnel people down to I street by 12 so they can get the park empty and closed. Maybe a stage in front of Festhaus and use the stage from 4 drummers for another act. 

Like I said above, when it comes to live music outdoors, it's kinda hard to plan for that on NYE here as weather is very unpredictable. I think if they were to do a live band or live bands on NYE, Festhaus and Brewhouse are likely where they do them.

[teenageninja]

I'm guessing year round entities have different certifications than what Kings Island does.  That or they have their rides re-certified during the season.  

Kings Island didn't see the value to get 1 extra hour to have it done.  They have a system that is currently working and no need to change it since they will be closed for the next 14 weeks.

[disco2000]

16 minutes ago, Hawaiian Coasters 325 said:

Like I said above, when it comes to live music outdoors, it's kinda hard to plan for that on NYE here as weather is very unpredictable. I think if they were to do a live band or live bands on NYE, Festhaus and Brewhouse are likely where they do them.

And yet New York City can do it every NYE....

Granted KI is not New York lol, so the expense may not warrant it, but it isn't that hard to plan - you cover the stage and let the patrons fend for themselves LOL.  At least at KI they can have umbrellas unlike at Times Square...

[brenthodge]

29 minutes ago, disco2000 said:

And yet New York City can do it every NYE....

Granted KI is not New York lol, so the expense may not warrant it, but it isn't that hard to plan - you cover the stage and let the patrons fend for themselves LOL.  At least at KI they can have umbrellas unlike at Times Square...

There are other venues the music could move to in needed as well.  Peanuts theatre, The Holly Holiday set behind Hanks,  Mistletones stage…again, I think a lot of it comes down to wanting to get people moved to one area of the park by 11:45 or so. 

[super7]

On 1/2/2023 at 8:04 PM, CoastersRZ said:

What does Canada`s Wonderland do with their rides on New Year`s Eve?  Or what about Carowinds/Kings Dominion?  I know they are all different jurisdictions.  Just wondering if they kept their rides going.  Carowinds and Kings Dominion are different this year, since they are going to year round operation with weekends in January and February, 

I get that the ride certification calendar typically runs through December 31st.  But Dollywood typically is open a few days into the new year with their Smoky Mountain Christmas.  Seems like the park could get another couple of nights of Winterfest with all the set up and preparation they do for the event.  

Sadly, I still have not ridden Flight of Fear at Winterfest yet.

I went to Carowinds NYE.   Park was open until 12:30 and ride lines were open until 12:30.     
 

I seem to remember the rides at KI running after 11 the first NYE in ‘18.