So many possible projects, where does the park even start?

[Taylor.B03]

I've been thinking alot about the shear amount of possibilities that the park has to go for in the coming years. The more I think about it, the more I realize there is just so much that they could do that I don't even think it would be possible to do them all within this decade without having more possibilities pop up. I have made 3 categories that I think would be possible in the near future (2-4 years), future (5-7 years), and beyond (7+ Years). Each bullet point is in no particular order.

Disclaimer: THESE ARE NOT MY PREDICTIONS, THESE ARE MY OBSERVATIONS AND THOUGHTS FORMED USING BASIC LOGIC AND POPULAR GUEST AND ENTHUSIAST OPINIONS. AGAIN, THESE ARE NOT MY PREDICTIONS OR WISH LIST

 

Near future (2-4 Years)

• Vortex plot roller coaster or area rejuvenation
  • Could include a Backlot overhaul or retheme
  • Likely will be a new roller coaster in the plot but could add more to the area
•  Soak City addition / overhaul
  • Soak City is in need of a new attraction and has been for many years especially with the recent attraction removal
  • Some have speculated an overhaul of the waterpark which could rename it entirely and give it a retheme
• Phantom Theatre return
  • With the park running the Phantom Theatre show from last year again this year, it really poses the question about it's reappearance. Many have speculated that it could be re-added to replace the rapidly aging boo blasters
• Action Zone ride removal
  • It has been said many, many times that there is a high chance that either Invertigo, Congo Falls, or both could be removed soon. While I am hesitant to place this in the near future category, I went ahead and did it anyway under the stipulation that it would be going to bring an Action Zone retheme with it in the year(s) following.
• More GG Beast retracking / reprofiling
  • Many have speculated that The Beast still needs some more track work done in more sections of the ride and that it will come soon
• Banshee Repaint
  • Banshee is one of the only remaining rides that is in dire need of repainting. Many speculate that it is only a matter of time before it gets it's much needed repaint
• Blue Racer Retracking
  • Confirmed by the park

Future (5-7 Years)

• Action Zone overhaul
  • Action Zone is in dire need of large scale rejuvenation.
  • Depending on what may be removed would determine the scale and future of the site in terms of new attractions and the overall infrastructure
• Planet Snoopy overhaul
  • Similar to Action Zone, Planet Snoopy currently could use some TLC, not to the scale of Action Zone but still something based on most people's feedback and thoughts.
  • Many opinions seem divided on keeping it Planet Snoopy or making it camp snoopy
• Tomb Raider Building
  • Could be demolished
  • Could be used
  • Nobody knows
  • I certainly don't know
  • But whatever it is
  • It could be done in the next
  • 5-7 years
  • The building is a complete mystery

Beyond (7-8 Years)

• A King Cobra or Son of Beast resurrection
  • With Cedar Fair's recent focus on nostalgia and being that SoB and KC were beloved rides at the park (well at least for most KC was), there is a high chance that the next new roller coaster after The Vortex replacement could be a resurrection of one of these rides
    • King Cobra would likely be a B&M Surf
    • Son of Beast could be:
      • GCI Titan track based ride (Ex: Zambezi Zinger)
      • Ground up RMC
• End of Life for a ride
  • With the age and costs associated along with other factors, there is believed to be a high chance that one or two of the following rides are removed: (Remember, this is 7-10 years out)
    • The Bat (With it's recent issues, it could have a shorter lifespan)
    • Flight of Fear
    • Surf Dog

If there is anything I may have missed, please let me know! Feel free to elaborate below!

[SonofBaconator]

22 minutes ago, Taylor.B03 said:

Son of Beast resurrection

Everything you listed is plausible and has enough logic to back them up. However, with that said, I’m not entirely sure Cedar Fair is the type of chain that would physically resurrect an old IP that has seen controversy. Son of Beast sent 26 people to the hospital and was SBNO for 3 years after another person reported experiencing pain a few years later. Using the ride in posters and Easter eggs is one thing but it’s different to reuse the theme on an actual ride. Take Top Thrill Dragster which suffered a similar fate. It’s been rumored and implied that the ride will undergo a rebrand, abandoning the dragster theme altogether. 
 

Could we see a 200ft tall wooden coaster return? Anything is possible with how much technology and safety has improved. Heck Son of Beast isn’t really gone if you account for the track sitting in and outside of the station. Nevertheless, if we were to get a massive 200ft wooden or hybrid coaster, I don’t think it would be called “Son of Beast.” Maybe marketing could get creative and call it “Abomination”, “Iron Son” or something more subtle but I think the SOB brand is history.

[IndyGuy4KI]

17 minutes ago, SonofBaconator said:

, I don’t think it would be called “Son of Beast.” Maybe marketing could get creative and call it “Abomination”, “Iron Son” or something more subtle but I think the SOB brand is history.

I think the chances of the SOB name being used again is the same as Paramount buying the park again. From a PR and marketing standpoint, that would be a very hard sell. 

Now, I could see one of the new B&M stand ups going in and resurrecting the King Cobra name. It seems the new standup is getting a lot of good reviews. 

[BeeastFarmer]

How about Son of Mystic Timbers?

 

[Captain Nemo]

2 minutes ago, BeeastFarmer said:

How about Son of Mystic Timbers?

 

Italian Job: Son Tracks

[SonofBaconator]

Something that I think could/should be a project is repurposing haunt buildings.

Worlds of Fun debuted an indoor exhibit that showcases the park’s history. We have so many buildings that sit unused for the majority of the year, surely a building like Killmart could be repurposed as a museum. 
 

In fact, I think there are a few creative avenues that could be explored as additional attractions that could be accessed via fast line wristband. Two ideas come to mind:

• Escape rooms
• Ada accessible fun house 

So if you make one building a permanent museum and follow the Fast Lane upsell idea, you could sell more fast lanes as it encompasses more than just rides.

[TheBeast54]

On 5/29/2023 at 5:37 PM, Captain Nemo said:

Italian Job: Son Tracks

Outer Limits: Flight of Son

[TheBeast54]

On 5/29/2023 at 4:08 PM, Taylor.B03 said:

 Soak City addition / overhaul

• Soak City is in need of a new attraction and has been for many years especially with the recent attraction removal
• Some have speculated an overhaul of the waterpark which could rename it entirely and give it a retheme

 

I've been fond of this especially after whatever coaster we get (wishful thinking says next year), Soak City hasn't had a new attraction since 2016 if I recall. Could absolutely use some love, maybe retheme it entirely to some sort of Little Miami River theming? So many ideas.

[SonofBaconator]

On 6/6/2023 at 5:46 PM, TheBeast54 said:

I've been fond of this especially after whatever coaster we get (wishful thinking says next year), Soak City hasn't had a new attraction since 2016 if I recall. Could absolutely use some love, maybe retheme it entirely to some sort of Little Miami River theming? So many ideas.

Water parks are kinda tricky in my opinion for a number of reasons:

1. Competition (or lack there of): Soak City doesn’t really have any immediate competition if you think about it. Sure you have Great Wolf Lodge next-door, Land of Illusion not too far away, then you have Coney Island, which is 20 miles away, but those don’t necessarily pull people away from KI. 
    
2. Climate: This is a hit or miss with all seasonal attractions but it weather can have a longer negative impact considering most water parks in the Midwest are only open 3-4 months out of the year. 
    
3. Capacity: Depending on the attraction, you will almost always see inferior capacity when compared to dry park attractions. Most slides only allow one rider at a time (unless it’s a tube slide) which can increase wait times for guests. 

Now none of this is to say that you can’t invest in your waterpark, but I think additions have to address the issues I listed above: low investment, not limited to weather, and high capacity.

Multi-level play structures seem like a safe investment considering they check off all the boxes I mentioned previously. In addition I don’t think it would necessarily hurt to have two “lazy rivers” in a water park. 

[Tr0y]

New marker? found next to Boo Hill:

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

On 5/29/2023 at 9:23 PM, SonofBaconator said:

Something that I think could/should be a project is repurposing haunt buildings.

Worlds of Fun debuted an indoor exhibit that showcases the park’s history. We have so many buildings that sit unused for the majority of the year, surely a building like Killmart could be repurposed as a museum. 

I would also like to see a nicely made park museum installed into the KillMart building, although only if the maze is moved to a new location. The idea of losing another Haunt maze makes me hesitant, but I'd think it could be easy enough to construct another small warehouse like the park did for Slaughterhouse when it moved.

It might not be easy, but a short looping documentary would also be really fun to have in there if the building were to be turned into a museum.

On 6/19/2023 at 1:30 PM, SonofBaconator said:

Water parks are kinda tricky in my opinion for a number of reasons:

There's one massive thing standing in the way of expansion within KI's Soak City that I haven't seen a ton of people talk about: the high voltage power lines that cross directly through the center of it. I'm not at all versed on the rules regarding what can go under them, but from what I've gathered it's not much more than a path. The gap isn't huge but it's noticeable enough and unfortunate because nothing can be built under them.

[SonofBaconator]

On 12/17/2024 at 11:48 PM, Losantiville Mining Co. said:

There's one massive thing standing in the way of expansion within KI's Soak City that I haven't seen a ton of people talk about: the high voltage power lines that cross directly through the center of it. I'm not at all versed on the rules regarding what can go under them, but from what I've gathered it's not much more than a path. The gap isn't huge but it's noticeable enough and unfortunate because nothing can be built under them.

If I were KI/Six Flags, I’d see if they could possibly be diverted if possible. They were able to cut into Columbia Road for the Soak City expansion back in 2012 so it’s not too far fetched of an idea.

[Rivertown Rider]

There is a new easement on the Warren County site from November that reads like it is to put the Duke lines in Soak City underground.

[Imperial79]

That would be nice and allow Soak City more room to expand. 

[BeeastFarmer]

If they bury the lines in the same location, they still have an easement/ROW and KI likely couldn't build over top of the buried lines. They could develop the area with landscaping, shaded areas etc, but Duke could come in and destroy it at will if they need to access their lines.  It would be foolish to invest in anything more than cosmetic, and the park is likely prohibited from doing so anyway ( ie, I can't and wouldn't build a pool under my overhead electric supply line, or put an  in ground pool anywhere near the water supply line.)

If they are moving the electric lines into the parking lot, they likely would vacate the current easement for a new one and theoretically could develop that swath. 

[Old_Bearcat]

18 hours ago, Rivertown Rider said:

There is a new easement on the Warren County site from November that reads like it is to put the Duke lines in Soak City underground.

no, that is not what the easement is for, this is near the intersection of Western Row/Kings Island Drive

[Cedar Fair Fanboy]

25 minutes ago, Old_Bearcat said:

no, that is not what the easement is for, this is near the intersection of Western Row/Kings Island Drive

Parking lot expansion incoming

[Rivertown Rider]

24 minutes ago, Old_Bearcat said:

no, that is not what the easement is for, this is near the intersection of Western Row/Kings Island Drive

Thanks, sorry for the confusion.  It would be great if they moved all of the electric underground on that side of the park.

[Imperial79]

Okay after looking at Google map and Exhibit A, it looks like it's for the Soak City expansion to make more room. 

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

On 12/23/2024 at 3:37 PM, Old_Bearcat said:

no, that is not what the easement is for, this is near the intersection of Western Row/Kings Island Drive

If I'm reading this correctly, I believe it is closer to the intersection of One Team Way (Columbia Road) and Western Row Road. If anyone is wondering, River Racers will be just above where it says "Centerline" (the gap between RR and One Team Wy. actually looks a bit tight IMO). The "P/L" could be the Plat Line that divides the different parts of KI's property. There are a series of wood pole utility lines right there that stretch from near the Breakers Bay pumphouse eastward toward the power station. You can see the faint curve of the road that bends around the document and parcel ID numbers.

 

On 12/22/2024 at 6:31 PM, SonofBaconator said:

If I were KI/Six Flags, I’d see if they could possibly be diverted if possible. They were able to cut into Columbia Road for the Soak City expansion back in 2012 so it’s not too far fetched of an idea.

I could be very wrong on this, but, the stretch of Columbia Road/One Team Way (and possibly Soak City Drive) may be a special case within the park's property lines. While the park still has to get permission to do anything to those roads, they are on private property and act more as driveways and parking lot entrances than fully public roads that would be subject to public review. Columbia Road was also fully diverted to the east around 2015/2016 to move the intersection further away from Kings Island Drive. I think the high voltage lines are owned by Duke Energy and would require Duke, the City of Mason, and KI to all sign off on their movement, which would probably need to be paid for entirely by Kings Island since it would be exclusively for the park's convenience. Moving them is probably much harder than park management will ever be willing to do, unfortunately.

I'm not a professional city planner or anything that would give me extensive knowledge in this area so if I'm wrong please let me know, but I think that's how it works.

[Old_Bearcat]

On 12/23/2024 at 5:00 PM, Imperial79 said:

Okay after looking at Google map and Exhibit A, it looks like it's for the Soak City expansion to make more room. 

Correct, they are moving the fence out and building a new maintenance drive for the new slides at the pumphouse. I am guessing the new easement is for a new  Duke service pole and drop for the electrical service.