McSalsa's Coaster Adventures: The Beast Cometh...for the 50th Time! (KI 6/23/24)

[McSalsa]

Hello everyone! Welcome to yet another Kings Island trip report from McSalsa. I rode quite a bit of stuff yesterday, but I will try to make this manageable. This will be sorted into 3 sections: Ride Reviews, Food Reviews, and Misc (everything that doesn't fall into the first two categorgies basically). Will be sorted by order I when I did/rode things, and re-rides will be described in the same order...mostly.

THE RIDES

Orion (x2)

Orion was my first ride of the day- I wanted to hit FOF first but it was already a big wait, and Orion was a near walk-on instead. As I neared the station, I realized I forgot my glasses strap back in the car, so my glasses when in my zipper pocket and I rode "Blurry" Orion. I could still see enough to tell what was going on, and I got some nice forces for a early morning ride. I rode again later on and the ride had picked up some more speed, and I had bought a new glasses trap by then as well (they are cheap in park). Both rides were great, as I have come to expect from Orion.

NEW RIDE ALERT: Snoopy's Soap Box Racers (x2)

I have finally added to my coaster count (now at 38) for the first time in 3 years! Woohoo! Snoopy's Soap Box Racers is a great addition to Kings Island. It packs more punch than I was expecting, especially in terms of postive G's. The first drop has good anticipation to it, with how it holds you 70 feet in the air, a little bit like a dive coaster. Going backwards is a pretty fun sensation too. I do wish they had planted some trees in Camp Snoopy, but the ride itself is great. Oh, and I rode from the last and 2nd to last cars both times, and my nephew I rode with on my first ride freaking loved it.

Diamondback (x4)

4 Rides on Diamondback!?!? Well, that is because the ride crew was KILLING IT yesterday, keeping the line at 10 minutes or less basically all day- early on when crowds weren't bad yet, they were hitting 30 and 40 second dispatches (I saw a few times where the train ahead had not even hit the MCBR and there was one halfway up the lift!). And with Diamondback's great airtime and short waits, I could not resist. I rode near the front, in the middle, and twice in or near the back. The back is still the way to go, though the 2nd hill might have been a bit better in front actually. On 3 of the 4 rides, save the middle one, I got airtime that lasted what felt like 5+ seconds on a few hills. Lots of fun was had on Diamondback yesterday.

Mystic Timbers (x2)

Got in two rides here- one early in the day near the middle, and a second later on in the back row. Middle ride was good, but the back seat ride happened just as the ride re-opened after a brief rain shower and...WOW. That was a contender for the best ride I have ever gotten on Mystic Timbers! The ride was hauling and throwing me around like crazy! I think the hot temperatures and rain truly unleashed the wooden coasters yesterday, Mystic being no exception. I got "Cars" as my song both times, and Bats and Snakes in the shed.

The Beast (1st Ride)

I also got two rides on The Beast, my favorite Kings Island coaster. The first ride I was on a wheel seat and it was a bit rough, nothing unbearable (2020 or 2021 rides in same seat probably would have been agony) but it did pop my back- it hurt for a few minutes, then felt great oddly the rest of the day. Still a fun ride though. Later in the evening, I... (TO BE CONTINUED...DA DA DUM!)

Backlot Stunt Coaster (x1)

Didn't get to ride this last time due to a breakdown and huge line, but got it yesterday. I got front row, and got some decent forces and nice views. I did find I actually like Snoopy's Soap Box Racers a bit better though.

Flight of Fear (x1)

After snagging my 2nd Orion ride, I saw FOF re-open after a breakdown so I tried to snag a quick ride, but ended up still waiting 25 minutes (longest all day) because the capacity is poo. The ride itself is way better than it's capacity though, a little rough and the trains are odd but great intensity and forcefulness. It was worth the wait.

The Racer (x1 Red, x1 Blue)

With no real wait, I snagged rides on both Racers. I am still so happy they removed the stinkin' trim brakes! I rode Red Racer from 5-2, and Blue Racer from 1-2. Both rides were crazy smooth for wooden coasters, both had good airtime, and I won both times. Win-win-win!

Adventure Express (x1)

In spite of riding on a wheel, this was a very smooth ride, oddly. Usually that isn't the case on wheel seats. All of the theming, music and effects were working and the ride was a walk-on. Fun ride, but I need to speak to the station master. He needs fired, badly. I keep trying to go on the scenic jungle route, and he keeps sending me on the city of stone route! UGH! WHO KEEPS LETTING HIM RUN THE Adventure Express!?!?

Grand Carousel (x1)

I rode this one with our main group. Sat on a non-moving horse because I had just eaten a huge burrito at Enrique's- review of that later. A nice relaxing ride as usual.

Banshee (x3)

Oh boy. Recent events have made this coaster get some extra attention- though the line was always very short hence why I got 3 rides in. Anyway, I'll focus on the ride itself and not the recent tragedy. Banshee was running really smooth, though the vest was a bit tight on my 3rd and final ride. The g forces were great, and I rode 3 times in basically the same hour because the line was moving so well. More good rides on the world's longest inverted coaster.

The Bat (x1)

After the 100 billion mile hike, I also rode The Bat. No wait, and I had a fun time swinging among the tree tops. The "river" below the ride was pretty full due to the rain. This ride may be a semi-clone of Vortex @ Canada's Wonderland, but it makes great use of the terrain.

Delirium (x1)

While in Action Zone, I also got a ride on Delirium, my first of 2024. I enjoy the spinning and swinging of this ride, and it too had a short wait time- Sundays when there is a chance of rain all day seem to be great days at Kings Island. A question hit me when riding this though. I have heard Youtuber Ryan the Ride Mechanic say, the Zamperla Giant Discovery has a 20 year lifespan, then Zamperla strongly requests you remove the ride due to fatigue. HUSS Giant Frisbees are similar to those...and Delirium is now 21. How much longer does Delirium have left?

Woodstock Express (x1)

I got my 3rd ride ever in on the former Beastie kids wooden coaster, once again riding with my nephew and his father. This was after the rainstorm, and like Mystic Timbers, even Woodstock Express felt like it had gotten a speed boost from it. I got a little airtime and some strong forces for a kids coaster here. A great ride for kids in spite of being 52.

The Beast (2nd Ride)

OK, here is why I said I wouldn't group EVERYTHING together...my 2nd and final ride on The Beast, also my last ride of the day. I bought a Fast Lane for $12 so I could get on and off fairly quickly to catch the fireworks with my group at the end of the day. I do enjoy having that option this year. This one will be a bit longer, as I want to go into some details.

May 16th, 2009: A 19 year old McSalsa (me) arrives at Kings Island for the 2nd time. I was afraid of roller coasters ever since my last trip to Kings Island in 2000, when The Racer scared me as a kid. 9 years later, I had returned to conquer that fear, and I had selected The Beast due to seeing the fact it mostly stayed near the ground. I boarded the train with my mother (she passed away in 2019 due to a heart attack) and we departed. I got a bit nervous as we climbed the lift hill, but once the train plunged into the tunnel- the fear evaporated. This wasn't scary. This was fun! The double helix did get me a little, but a love of roller coasters had been born that day. Ride #2- my first night ride, that same day- further sealed this.

15 years have passed, and once again I board The Beast- now for the 50th time. I sit in 5-2, and the train departs. It is not 100% dark but it isn't daytime either. Once again, the train climbs the lift hill and plunges into the same tunnel. The drop is a bit different- The Beast and I have both changed a bit in the 15 years- but the general effect is the same. Pitch black tunnel, hard turn, drop into ravine. Fun stuff. Turn, into the endless brake tunnel. Trim brakes of sadness. Turn, train bounces a bit during turn, I have grown to enjoy this "bounce" so I giggle a bit. We dive into the endlessly long midcourse tunnel, I look to the right to see trees and the forest THROUGH the tunnel wall's cracks. (Seriously try this if you can, day or night, it looks awesome). Exit the tunnel, and enjoy several turns deep in the woods. Two "eyes" stare at us ahead, and we begin to climb the 2nd lift. I have a huge grin on my face already. Enjoy the best view of the entire park. Turn left. Begin to drop into a tiny hole. Trim brakes attempt to stop us. Trim brakes fail to do so. Faster. Faster. FASTER. FASTER! FASTER! FASTER! WHEN ARE WE GONNA...

The tunnel hits. The Beast roars. The car shakes violently in pitch black darkness. I am laughing like mad. We get a second to breathe, then it happens again. Utter chaos in darkness. This is the best moment on any coaster I have ever experienced. Then, The Beast decides to let us all live and releases us back to the station, same as it did 15 years ago. Ride #50 on The Beast, conquered. I get off, to go rejoin my group, and wonder when ride #100 is coming. I don't get to visit Kings Island nearly as much as I would like, so I will probably never challenge things like Carl Eichelman's 4000+ rides. But I absolutely understand why people love The Beast. The coaster that helped me overcome my fears. A true legend. Thanks for the 50 great rides (some not as good, some extra good- this one was the latter). And here's to plenty more rides on a true legend of a roller coaster.

FOOD REVIEWS

Coney BBQ

I forgot to eat breakfast before coming to the park, so I ate pretty much after my first ride on Orion. There was zero wait because of this, so good idea I guess. This was my first time properly eating at Coney BBQ after trying some of the sides last time- this place is great. I got the rotisserie chicken meal, and the chicken was delicious, I also tried the Carolina mustard as a dip. It was so good, I "drank" the leftovers when I ran out of chicken. I also tried the spiral mac n' cheese, it was delicious and creamy. My one complaint would be the hush puppy- it was still good, but a bit overcooked and crispier than needed. A 9.5/10 meal, only due to the Hush Puppy.

Enrique's

I ate here after riding the nearby Adventure Express, around 3pm. I got a big chicken burrito and filled it with my choice of toppings. It was freaking delicious, maybe a little messy near the end but that is true for any good burrito. Service was fast too. Probably my favorite meal of the day.

Pigpen's Mess Hall

This was my "dinner" around 7pm. I got a Hot Dog with cheese and bacon, and the Ranch Potato Salad. The Hot Dog was huge and delicious, and the Potato Salad was great- though I needed to grasp for a second it was not like Kroger Potato Salad I am so used to. Pigpen's tasted like actual potatoes. This was also a bit slower because a few people ahead of me seemed to be confused and held up the short line. Once they passed though everything sped up. Another thumbs up from me!

Festhaus

I didn't really "eat" much here, more like I got chicken fingers for my nephews. I did try one and a few fries though- the chicken finger I had tasted fine, the fries were meh though. Weakest of all the meals I had, though it was stiff competition today. Kings Island has been very good for food in 2024 so far.

OTHER STUFF (AKA MISC)

I watched one of my nephews and his dad ride Xtreme Skyflyer. I can't believe that a kid can ride that, and not The Racer! They both loved it, I could see the kid's smile from 150 feet up it was so big!

We also ended the day with the "Under the Stars" Fireworks and Drone Show. It was epic. If I had one complaint, it would be that there is almost TOO MUCH here- I was focused on the drones mainly and thus missed a few of the laser effects, etc. It's awesome though, and worth a few rewatches.

Ride operations were amazing. Diamondback would be my pick for best crew this year, but Orion, Banshee and Mystic Timbers were also kicking butt. Beast too though that ride naturally takes a minute to load/unload. Food was also quite fast, I never had to wait too long for any of my 4 meals.

It wasn't PERFECT though: I have some small complaints. The budget cuts kinda showed up- Racer wasn't racing until around noon, and some shops opened late. By the afternoon everything was open though. They also had some trouble keeping up with the bathrooms- I saw some nasty yesterday. The main part of the park was spotless though.

Ride reliability was pretty good- weather took everything down around 5-6pm, but most rides reopened quickly, save Drop Tower and WindSeeker. Invertigo and the Eiffel Tower seemed to have some issues all day, though. Kinda bummed about the Eiffel Tower, I wanted to go up and look around.

And that's my trip report! Questions and comments welcome. I will try and attach some photos- I got some good ones, I think. Thank you guys and MCSALSA AWAY!!!

 

 

 

 

[IndyGuy4KI]

Great read. I love reading your PTR's. So thorough. Glad you had a great time.