2024 Wishlist

[Orion742]

What improvements/additions would you like to see in 2024? I’ll state what we know is coming then share my thoughts. 

1. Camp Snoopy. (Including Snoopy’s Soap Box Racers and Beagle Scout Acres. With a possible Flying Ace retheme and repaint.

2. Blue Racer second half retrack. 
 

• I would like to see more re tracking done on The Beast. The new track has really improved the ride experience however the turn into the second lift is starting to get rough in my opinion. However, with The Racer retrack coming next year this isn’t very likely until 2025.
• Camp Snoopy open by opening day. I know this is just being picky but it did hurt opening day this year when AP wasn’t ready. I’ve stated this in the construction updates topic but with that information I stated there it is not very likely to see it open until summer. 
• I think a sign showing which direction is the front and the back of the train would really help The Bat. I don’t know how many times I saw people in the line for the back of the train go up front of the train slowing ops down by going in front of front of the people in line for the front of the train. A sign that shows which line is for which would really help operations.
   

 

[super7]

Plant trees in the barren inner park.   There are trees surrounding the park but not many left in the park. 

[SonofBaconator]

I don’t want ride closures due to staffing

[beastfan11]

1. Phantom Theater’s Return teaser campaign.

2. Adventure Express to be “finished.” 

3. Improved operations 

4. Maybe a few more craft cocktails and throwback merch/pins.

5. Everybody’s Prestige Pass perks to come back. You all deserve better. 

[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

6 hours ago, Orion742 said:

 Blue Racer second half retrack. 

I haven't been keeping much track of things, but I have not heard any announcement of blue racer getting the second half done. It might've been said awhile ago and just missed it, but where did this get confirmed?

6 hours ago, Orion742 said:

I would like to see more re tracking done on The Beast. The new track has really improved the ride experience however the turn into the second lift is starting to get rough in my opinion. However, with The Racer retrack coming next year this isn’t very likely until 2025.

I believe both Racer and Beast trackwork were done in 2022 (more Beast work though as Racer was just a small section in 22), but still both can be done at the same time especially if it involves just that one turn before lift 2

6 hours ago, Orion742 said:

I think a sign showing which direction is the front and the back of the train would really help The Bat. I don’t know how many times I saw people in the line for the back of the train go up front of the train slowing ops down by going in front of front of the people in line for the front of the train. A sign that shows which line is for which would really help operations.

Or just get rid of the front and back line dividers altogether. At this point it is just a way for people to try and bypass the remainder of the line if the line is backed up on one side, but not the other (even I've been guilty of doing it at times). Not at just Bat, but at rides like Beast and Viking Fury that still have 2 sided station queues and only use one.  Plus at Beast when they assign rows it basically makes the whole lines for front or back of train kinda pointless. I'd rather see the park get rid of the divided queues altogether. They did it with Racer's queue last year where the queue house isn't divided anymore. 

[Orion742]

11 minutes ago, Hawaiian Coasters 325 said:

I haven't been keeping much track of things, but I have not heard any announcement of blue racer getting the second half done. It might've been said awhile ago and just missed it, but where did this get confirmed?

I believe both Racer and Beast trackwork were done in 2022 (more Beast work though as Racer was just a small section in 22), but still both can be done at the same time especially if it involves just that one turn before lift 2

Or just get rid of the front and back line dividers altogether. At this point it is just a way for people to try and bypass the remainder of the line if the line is backed up on one side, but not the other (even I've been guilty of doing it at times). Not at just Bat, but at rides like Beast and Viking Fury that still have 2 sided station queues and only use one.  Plus at Beast when they assign rows it basically makes the whole lines for front or back of train kinda pointless. I'd rather see the park get rid of the divided queues altogether. They did it with Racer's queue last year where the queue house isn't divided anymore. 

When the red Racer retrack was announced they said in 2024 blue will receive the finished retrack on the second half. I don’t know the specific date of the tweet but for reference It was the same day Voyage was announced to receive a retrack for this season. Kind of random connection but only thing I could think of to link the dates.

Correct me if I am wrong but hasn’t the front and back on The Beast been completely removed this year? The signs were removed and a trash can blocks the back of the train entrance.


 

[SonofBaconator]

1 hour ago, beastfan11 said:

Adventure Express to be “finished.”

What needs to be done with it?

[Imperial79]

I think Camp Snoopy will be done by opening day, they started this month so they have till April, 6 months working on it should be enough to get it done.  

1. Would be nice to see a new changing/restroom building near the Tidal Wave Bay area. 

2. New pavers under and around the Eiffel Tower.

3. Add some LED lights on the Log Flumes drop, it used to have lights, and this would look great at night! 

4. This is not for 2024 but in the future build a new hotel next to Soak City, like what CF did with Carowinds. The park would make more money with it and could get nice views of SC and KI at night from upper floors. 

[Orion742]

12 minutes ago, Imperial79 said:

I think Camp Snoopy will be done by opening day, they started this month so they have till April, 6 months working on it should be enough to get it done.  

1. Would be nice to see a new changing/restroom building near the Tidal Wave Bay area. 

2. New pavers under and around the Eiffel Tower.

3. Add some LED lights on the Log Flumes drop, it used to have lights, and this would look great at night! 

4. This is not for 2024 but in the future build a new hotel next to Soak City, like what CF did with Carowinds. The park would make more money with it and could get nice views of SC and KI at night from upper floors. 

I don’t know if you saw my construction updates post but it is not looking good for Camp Snoopy being open by opening day. Well, at least not Snoopy’s Soap Box Racers. Vekoma confirmed to Holiday world that they would be opening the first family boomerang in the US. They wouldn’t say where the others were going but theirs would be the first to open in 2024. 

[Imperial79]

15 minutes ago, Orion742 said:

I don’t know if you saw my construction updates post but it is not looking good for Camp Snoopy being open by opening day. Well, at least not Snoopy’s Soap Box Racers. Vekoma confirmed to Holiday world that they would be opening the first family boomerang in the US. They wouldn’t say where the others were going but theirs would be the first to open in 2024. 

Yeah, I saw it, I think KI would want and have enough time to get everything done, but this might be right. if Snoopy's Soap Box Racers don't open on opening day, I can see it opening right after Good Gravy opens. 

[brenthodge]

13 hours ago, SonofBaconator said:

What needs to be done with it?

Mike K actually said there were more “effects items” that had supply chain issues coming in. The newly painted masks for the lift hil never got installed-just sitting in a stack by the end of the tunnel. Most of the new audio never plays now. Mouth for temple god totally missing. Quit working right a month or so ago-looked like he was gumming his strained peas! . Lights on new monkey scene to actually see it at night. Some lighting in the gem mine to… you know… look like a gem mine. Overall it just never felt like it all got done, then it opened, and never got revisited. 

[beastfan11]

14 hours ago, SonofBaconator said:

What needs to be done with it?

Well, as of the last few weekends… a lot apparently. But in addition to maintaining the updates they made for the opening of AP, I’d want to see them: 

1. Add the lighting to the first tunnel

2. Return of the first lift hill masks that were painted last off season 

3. Address the inconsistencies with the audio 

 

[KI Guy]

21 hours ago, super7 said:

Plant trees in the barren inner park.   There are trees surrounding the park but not many left in the park. 

Better yet, they could transplant existing large trees from the undeveloped periphery to the midways. Even at a cost of $15,000 per tree that would be a mere $1.5 million for 100 large trees.

[disco2000]

19 minutes ago, KI Guy said:

Better yet, they could transplant existing large trees from the undeveloped periphery to the midways. Even at a cost of $15,000 per tree that would be a mere $1.5 million for 100 large trees.

If they sell 12,300 more gold passes than they did this year, they would have that money LOL

[BeeastFarmer]

5 hours ago, KI Guy said:

Better yet, they could transplant existing large trees from the undeveloped periphery to the midways. Even at a cost of $15,000 per tree that would be a mere $1.5 million for 100 large trees.

Former arborist here.  Success rate on this is low even in perfect conditions. They really should have a yearly tree budget and plant at least 100 trees each year...as older trees reach the end of their service life, new generations come in behind. Plant more bald cypress, sugar maples, redbuds, dogwoods and oak trees...not to mention evergreens. 

I was encouraged that the redbuds they planted in '23 in the grassy area in front of AE were saved, and this year they planted several southern magnolia trees.

[super7]

I don’t believe Cedar Fair has any concern for shade coverage. They often don’t even fully shade  their queue  line to make it miserable to wait in line on a hot day.    
 

even a Kings Dominion, which is absolutely gorgeous because of the tree cover they have been cutting down trees, one by one each year and not replacing them  

 

They also just leave stumps.   It is not that expensive to have someone with a stump grinder come in. As many trees as they cut down they should have their own stump grinder. 

[rlentless]

1.  Add more water features around the park.  I just like hearing and seeing running water . . miss the waterfall we had in The Gardens.

2.  Same as above posts . . Add more trees around ET and BSC.  I do not want to see BSC unless I am in line and riding it.  Plant more trees on the side of The Crypt building we can see from The Beast.

3.  Run the water mill in The Beast line again.  Just create a smaller covered rock pool at the bottom to collect and pump back to the top.  Kick people out of line who throws stuff in it.

4.  Revamp of Action Zone.  Not sure why to me but Invertigo and Congo Falls just feel disconnected from the rest of the park.  Not sure what to do about it.  I know some may say "what about The Bat" line.  I am fine with it       because of the immersive feeling of going in by surrounded trees.

I used to roll my eyes whenever anyone would complain about them cutting down trees.  I just thought what do you expect them to do when adding new rides.  One day I watched a video of someone walking thru KD and thought how beautiful and immersive the trees made the experience.  Now I am a tree believer.

[Imperial79]

I think the KI Theater is kind of in the way for guests to have an easy time with getting over to the Invertigo and Congo Falls area, if it was in another part of Action Zone, where Timberwolf is, then they'd venture over there more. If they ever wanted to remove Timberwolf and build a new KI Theater in that spot, that would free up a lot of land, and could build a new coaster there when Invertigo is retired and maybe retire Congo Falls to use that area also for the new coaster. I doubt this'll happen but it's an idea how fix guests flowing into Action Zone better. 

[jbeast]

I was at KD a few years back and had not been there since I was a young kid. I was just floored by the tree cover in some parts of the park last time I visited. It really added to the ambience of the park and a lot of shade space on a hot summer day. I was thinking to myself, wow, I wish KI still had this many mature trees. KI had some of that same feel back in the early 80's, especially the shaded tunnel. There are some nice, shaded areas left at KI. Of course, taking out the Taxis for Back Lot in the middle of the park did not help either in that regard! Never been a big fan of Backlot.
It took the place of The Eagles which still hurts my heart! Don't get me started on the stupid basketball game there either! Ha!

[DJSkyFoxx]

This may not be so much of a wish list of improvements so much as an event thought. In much of the same fashion that Cedar Point has Winter Chillout, I think it would be really neat if they held a similar event at Kings Island. I think it would be really neat to experience the park during the off season and get more in-depth behind the scenes looks at things one normally wouldn't get to see. I know WCO up at the Point is a big deal, so much so that they decided to do a ticket draw last season and I imagine a similar event at KI would also be a huge success as well. 

[BeeastFarmer]

3 hours ago, DJSkyFoxx said:

This may not be so much of a wish list of improvements so much as an event thought. In much of the same fashion that Cedar Point has Winter Chillout, I think it would be really neat if they held a similar event at Kings Island. I think it would be really neat to experience the park during the off season and get more in-depth behind the scenes looks at things one normally wouldn't get to see. I know WCO up at the Point is a big deal, so much so that they decided to do a ticket draw last season and I imagine a similar event at KI would also be a huge success as well. 

If Tony Clark and Chad Showalter have the same job title, this would never happen. 

[PKIDelirium]

It's not just Banshee, Delirium needs new paint again too. The 2014 paint hasn't aged as well as the original.

I think it's unlikely either get repainted for 2024 with Camp Snoopy and Blue Racer return run retrack (and then repaint like was done with Red), but it would be nice to see both refreshed.

An offseason behind-the-scenes would be nice, it's been a while since the last time there was a construction/backstage tour with dinner and presentations in the IR.

Anyone remember the Firehawk construction tour? Pretty sure everyone was nearly frozen to death by the time we all got from the construction site to the IR, it was beyond cold that afternoon.

[jdf21972]

More ICEE stand locations to use for ultimate drink plan

OPEN THE 275' PLATFORM ALL THE TIME = yelling so the people in the back can hear me 

 

[Orion742]

I would really like to see Orion’s soundtrack return in the station for 2024. I heard it early on in the season but sometime in the summer it went away. Just like Millenium Force, Orion’s soundtrack in the station really sets the mood for the ride and I just wish it would play more often. I could also throw in the Banshee fog machine in this discussion. I haven’t seen it run in a long time. Man I miss that thing. 

[brenthodge]

On 1/22/2024 at 12:13 AM, Orion742 said:

I would really like to see Orion’s soundtrack return in the station for 2024. I heard it early on in the season but sometime in the summer it went away. Just like Millenium Force, Orion’s soundtrack in the station really sets the mood for the ride and I just wish it would play more often. I could also throw in the Banshee fog machine in this discussion. I haven’t seen it run in a long time. Man I miss that thing. 

It actually ran all last season. The cattails have gotten very overgrown and makes it harder to see the smoke. Also those water misters need a super good cleaning every now and then as mineral deposits over time reduce the amount of mist they generate. 

[CorkscrewMcPuke]

I want a bunch of roaming baboons with funny, little hats to feed me blue ice cream.

[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

On 1/22/2024 at 12:13 AM, Orion742 said:

 I could also throw in the Banshee fog machine in this discussion. I haven’t seen it run in a long time. Man I miss that thing. 

Along with that, I want to see the lighting package restored back to how it was when it opened. I believe in like 2019 they removed some of the old mover disco lights that used to be in the queue now it is just an empty lighting truss. Also I would love to see a light strip on the lift hill like whats on Orion and Raptor, but make it purple. 

4 hours ago, brenthodge said:

It actually ran all last season. The cattails have gotten very overgrown and makes it harder to see the smoke. Also those water misters need a super good cleaning every now and then as mineral deposits over time reduce the amount of mist they generate. 

If thats the case, then they should trim the cattails and clean out the misters.

[TombRaiderFTW]

40 minutes ago, CorkscrewMcPuke said:

I want a bunch of roaming baboons with funny, little hats to feed me blue ice cream.

Finally. Someone with VISION.

[3dgyrat]

I would say my thoughts arent all 2024 suggestions, but just things i think of that id like to see in the near future at KI. 

1. More OPEN drink stations. During the summer last year my friends and I kept having the issue of only two or three drink stands being open on the really hot summer days. not sure why this was, but there should be at least 2 drinks stands opn in each area of the park, Action Zone, rivertown, kiddie land, etc. i saw a lot of people get overheated and ambulances come in last summer for them and i feel like the more drink stands would help prevent it from happening os much. 

 

2. Action Zone redone: Action Zone needs it baddddd. Banshee is fine, bat is fine, but my main concern is the Invertigo/congo/timberwolf area. If anything, I would enhance theming on The Bat and Banshee, take out timberwolf, Invertigo, and congo and make that an alternate entryway, maybe with a coaster going over the entryway or something. could make entry a lot easier into the park. 

 

3. Enhanced theming/lights: I love seeing all the lights on the rides at night when doing nightrides, and want more of it. Ill always say more theming.

 

4. More trees/nature spots/natural shade: id love having more trees and natural shading areas for summer days. 

[rlentless]

Bring back a working mill wheel for The Beast.  Not the pond/lake under the track turn.  But just a small pool to collect water and pump it back up to turn the wheel.