I'm a journalist from Dayton Daily News, and I want to know what Kings Island fans want from the park in the next few years

[AlexCutlerDDN]

Hello KI Central! My name is Alex Cutler, and I'm the main journalist covering Kings Island for the Dayton Daily News and the Journal-News.

Now that the main season is over for Kings Island, and now that we know we're getting RiverRacers for 2025, I want to know what fans of the park either want or expect the park to add over the next few years.

Are you hoping for an Intamin blitz coaster like Pantheon? Maybe something new from Vekoma or B&M? Do you want something in The Vortex plot, or out in the Action Zone area of the park? These suggestions can be as realistic or as wild as you'd like. Maybe you think Kingda Ka will get relocated to Kings Island after its (rumored) closing.

Be as creative or detailed as you like! Feel free to respond to this post with your suggestions

Thank you for your time!

[SonofBaconator]

Bolliger and Mabillard (B&M) is almost always considered a viable option since their coasters are fabricated in the neighboring county and their reliability has served the part well. I don’t think it would be wise to rule out a Dive or Surf. 

Vekoma also shouldn’t be ruled out since the park has recently worked with them to build Snoopy’s Soapbox Racers. 

Premier Rides could even be an option since they’re building an impressive 9-inversion launched coaster for Canada’s Wonderland. 
 

I don’t see us getting anything from Mack for our next coaster as they manufacture their track overseas which adds $$ to the bill but it’s not impossible.
 

I don’t see Intamin coming either since both Cedar Fair and Six Flags had basically blacklisted them for years with the later just recently getting a family styled coaster from them for their New England park pre merger.

Finally, I don’t see us getting anything from Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) as the former Cedar Fair not ordering anything new from them since 2018. 

With Kings Island being a high attendance park, whatever they get has to be a reliable people-eater.

[CoasterJack]

Personally I think a multi-launch roller coaster would be a great fit in The Vortex plot of land, something similar to Pantheon, but a lot of enthusiasts seem to want something similar to a ride called Voltron at another park called Europa Park in Germany. But I also think more indoor attractions would serve the park well in order to allow the park to better serve guests on days with inclement weather, as well as Winterfest as the temperature drops. Another indoor roller coaster like the Mummy from Universal, or a new dark ride would be incredible.

[Vortex1987]

Huss top spin in the Crypt building. Nothing else should go there but a top spin.

 

And a Gerstlauer Infinity that breaks the inversion record in Vortex's plot with a batwing where Vortex's batwing was to pay tribute to the ride. And the same color scheme as Vortex. Essentially a modern day version of it.

[WoodVengeance]

It is starting to look like 2026 will probably be the year for The Vortex replacement, but we've talked about it ad nauseam for the past five years. So, I wish to bring up some stuff the park could do in the years afterwards:

• Address the dead area of the park between the Eiffel Tower and Rivertown. I was thinking of a restaurant similar to The Farmhouse Kitchen and Grill at Cedar Point with outdoor seating and a band stage for live entertainment while eating. Bonus if they locate the restaurant across from the Rivertown bathrooms, that way you get a really good view of Diamondback's splashdown while eating.
• Unpopular take, but I wouldn't mind seeing the Planet Snoopy part of our kids section rethemed to DC or Looney Tunes. It would help add some variety to that section of the park, while also keeping Camp Snoopy intact so the Peanuts IP still has a place at the park.
• A multi-year expansion project for Action Zone, similar to what Kings Dominion is currently doing with Jungle Xpedition. The first phase involving a new flat ride like an S&S Screamin' Swing, then the second phase introducing a new coaster that also includes a renovation to the front gate of the park.
• Either put in a new dark ride or a hybrid between an indoor/outdoor ride using the Crypt building.

[DiamondBeast]

Everyone's talking about new rides, but what I really wish the park would do is get more trees in Rivertown and a total retheme to Action Zone. Both have gained awesome attractions over the years, but the former has lost the forest-y feel that made it so cool and the latter has lost a majority of the movie set theme. Action Zone especially doesn't match theming wise with the rest of the park. 

Though I'd be lying if I said I didn't want a muti-launch or a B&M to replace Vortex. Actually, I would like to see something like Hangtime in that spot. It would be as aesthetically pleasing as Vortex and would go well with the rest of the lights of Coney Mall. 

[westcoaster]

dark rides

[beastfan11]

2 hours ago, westcoaster said:

dark rides

I’ll second this. More dark rides! Phantom Theater revival,  DC, Peanuts, new ideas, etc. Let’s see a few! 

[BeeastFarmer]

For The Vortex plot...the GCI hybrid coaster that was introduced a few years ago.  

A climate controlled eatery to replace killmart, with patio views of The Racer, Antique Autos and Orion. ( We need a climate controlled eatery on that side of the park if Winterfest is going to be around long term).

A Verbolten style ride in The Crypt building, but themed appropriately to Rivertown, with the building exterior themed as well 

While we theme outdoor buildings, redo the exterior of FOF and the back side of KI Theater.  I think projection mapping would be a good idea along with go away green paint. 

Redo of Action Zone with a significant coaster, flats and trees.

Front entrance enhancement...make the big roof look more European, replace the flags above the arches, and add pavers. Put the big Kings Island topiary back in on the landscape berm, renovate the buildings on the left side to be more international. 

Put in a new dark ride. 

Staff the park with varying demographics so that the park could have extended seasons when kids are in school.

 

[Orion742]

What I would really like to see for The Vortex plot is either a Mack Xtreme spinner or a Mack Stryker coaster. I feel that Mack Rides is something that we lack and is very unique. There’s nothing like it around. I think the Stryker coaster is more likely so I’ll go with that one. It can deliver high capacity, marketable, a relatively low rider height requirement at 50 inches, and it would fill the gap of a modern launch coaster that we need. 

Also in the future I would like to see an Action Zone retheme. Possibly to a haunted area or something with Banshee and The Bat already there. Whatever it is Action Zone really needs a new identity.
 

[Cedar Fair Fanboy]

Me, I want a Vekoma Madhouse inside the Crypt Building.

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

In no particular order, I would like to see things that activate areas of the park that are currently lacking:

• a new coaster for The Vortex plot as long as it is anything but a B&M, seeing as KI's top 3 steel coasters are from B&M. I thought of a Mack Rides launch coaster concept that I named Coyote.
• an expanded Camp Snoopy that reaches Snoopy Boutique and the entrance to Woodstock Whirlybirds
• new restaurants.
  • One quick-service in Rivertown near the underutilized Paradise Island, with PI being kept and rethemed.
  • One sit-down in Coney Mall, similar to Victoria Gardens Pizza at Kings Dominion. There could be additional seating in front near the Games stand if the capacity required it.
  • One refreshment stand just beyond the entrance to The Beast.
• new permanent stages and a return to non-stunt-shows in the International Showplace. 
  • One small stage near the entrance to The Beast.
  • One small stage in Action Zone.
• new flat rides
  • a spinning ride that can mirror the Grand Carousel (like a tea cup ride), placed near the International Showplace
  • one more flat ride in Area 72, could be Flying Eagles-esque
• a retheme of Action Zone, possibly with a theme of mythical creatures/cryptids (they could call it Mythical Village).
  • Able to keep Banshee and The Bat, and maybe add a new coaster playing off of the Loveland Frog Man.
  • Delirium's entrance could be moved to Oktoberfest (probably easier than some might think), and it be rethemed as well.
• more permanent structures for Halloween Haunt mazes. 
• freshly renovated bathrooms across the whole park, more trees and foliage, more seating. General park atmosphere improvements.
• proper staffing of all locations throughout the regular season. No more passing 2 closed drink stands just to find an open one.
• a reworking of the parking lot to make the experience of walking across it better. 

[Vortex1987]

5 hours ago, Cedar Fair Fanboy said:

Me, I want a Vekoma Madhouse inside the Crypt Building.

NO. Lol. 

 

A madhouse to replace the giant top spin is a downgrade. Lol.  

[johnjniehaus]

Hey thanks to @AlexCutlerDDN for starting this forum to get the opinions of the fans. First of all, Vortex was a very special coaster with historical significance to the park. To this day I'll never understand why they demolished that beautiful station house that was used for both the original Bat and Vortex. (Meanwhile they leave the action theater, tomb raider, and Son of Beast station house sitting around looking terrible)

So back on topic, I have some ideas for The Vortex plot and on new attractions in general. I feel that there has been a strong family focus on the park since the addition of Banshee in 2014. Mystic Timbers was a good family coaster (48" height requirement) addition, the antique autos was a great family ride, they revamped Octoberfest into adventure port with some new flats, and we had two planet/camp Snoopy additions in 2016 and 2024 respectively. Orion has been the only real big bad thrill ride addition and I'd like to see something a bit more on the thrill level replace Vortex. Just about anything by Mack rides would be fantastic, I'd go for an Intamin launch coaster like pantheon, or I'd love to see a new gen Vekoma (especially a flying coaster that could use that terrain and pay homage to Firehawk as well as Vortex).

 As for other additions, boo Blaster needs to go sooner rather than later and I am 100% behind a phantom theater revival. However, one could make the case to build a ground up phantom theater elsewhere in the park and that would be great as well as long as it stays true to the original attraction and does use practical effects and animatronics. I would like to see an indoor coaster or dark ride return to the tomb raider building. @Cedar Fair Fanboy has a great idea of a vekoma madhouse in that space and I think it's a really solid idea. We all know that Action Zone needs a refresh/retheme however, I would much prefer to see The Vortex plot addressed, phantom theater return, and a new attraction inside the tomb raider building before removing or retheming rides in Action Zone. I think the Action Zone refresh can wait until around 2030 and let the other projects take priority. 

I guess that is my opinion for what it's worth and the only other thing I should mention is they should do whatever refurbishment/maintenance necessary to keep the Monster and The Bat operating for many more years to come. Keeping both of those classics is more important to me personally than getting a new ride of any kind.

[johnjniehaus]

22 hours ago, Vortex1987 said:

Huss top spin in the Crypt building. Nothing else should go there but a top spin

Maybe we can talk Mike Koontz into getting Twister from Six Flags Great Adventure when it gets removed... Top Spins are alot of fun if I do say so myself 

[Vortex1987]

1 minute ago, johnjniehaus said:

Hey thanks to @AlexCutlerDDN for starting this forum to get the opinions of the fans. First of all, Vortex was a very special coaster with historical significance to the park. To this day I'll never understand why they demolished that beautiful station house that was used for both the original Bat and Vortex. (Meanwhile they leave the action theater, tomb raider, and Son of Beast station house sitting around looking terrible)

So back on topic, I have some ideas for The Vortex plot and on new attractions in general. I feel that there has been a strong family focus on the park since the addition of Banshee in 2014. Mystic Timbers was a good family coaster (48" height requirement) addition, the antique autos was a great family ride, they revamped Octoberfest into adventure port with some new flats, and we had two planet/camp Snoopy additions in 2016 and 2024 respectively. Orion has been the only real big bad thrill ride addition and I'd like to see something a bit more on the thrill level replace Vortex. Just about anything by Mack rides would be fantastic, I'd go for an Intamin launch coaster like pantheon, or I'd love to see a new gen Vekoma (especially a flying coaster that could use that terrain and pay homage to Firehawk as well as Vortex).

 As for other additions, boo Blaster needs to go sooner rather than later and I am 100% behind a phantom theater revival. However, one could make the case to build a ground up phantom theater elsewhere in the park and that would be great as well as long as it stays true to the original attraction and does use practical effects and animatronics. I would like to see an indoor coaster or dark ride return to the tomb raider building. @Cedar Fair Fanboy has a great idea of a vekoma madhouse in that space and I think it's a really solid idea. We all know that Action Zone needs a refresh/retheme however, I would much prefer to see The Vortex plot addressed, phantom theater return, and a new attraction inside the tomb raider building before removing or retheming rides in Action Zone. I think the Action Zone refresh can wait until around 2030 and let the other projects take priority. 

I guess that is my opinion for what it's worth and the only other thing I should mention is they should do whatever refurbishment/maintenance necessary to keep the Monster and The Bat operating for many more years to come. Keeping both of those classics is more important to me personally than getting a new ride of any kind.

A vekoma madhouse in the TR:TR building is  a HORRIBLE idea. 

 

That building needs  a top spin. A normal one, not the giant one. Bring the spirit of TR:TR back but in a different way, not themed to the TR IP but,  the same "Idea". Like, instead of icicles, there are spikes, ect. Instead of the hindu goddess shiva, replace it with a different goddess, ect. 

 

Like TR:TR, but in a different, non-copyrighted way.

[Cedar Fair Fanboy]

7 minutes ago, Vortex1987 said:

A vekoma madhouse in the TR:TR building is  a HORRIBLE idea. 

 

That building needs  a top spin. A normal one, not the giant one. Bring the spirit of TR:TR back but in a different way, not themed to the TR IP but,  the same "Idea". Like, instead of icicles, there are spikes, ect. Instead of the hindu goddess shiva, replace it with a different goddess, ect. 

 

Like TR:TR, but in a different, non-copyrighted way.

Listen, You are trying to say to us that building a top spin inside, will be better than a Madhouse.  If it's past Six Flags, yes but Cedar Fair owns the majority of it.  They don't want a high maintenance ride that function the same way as "all the Top Spins"  they would rather do a new ride that'll be costly but have less break down.  Top Spins needs a lot of motors, electrical and oil fluids.  Madhouses only need Electrical and Hydraulics that mostly swings the gondola.  And you can do more with a Madhouse than a Top Spin.

[Tr0y]

On 11/11/2024 at 2:08 PM, AlexCutlerDDN said:

Hello KI Central! My name is Alex Cutler, and I'm the main journalist covering Kings Island for the Dayton Daily News and the Journal-News.

Now that the main season is over for Kings Island, and now that we know we're getting RiverRacers for 2025, I want to know what fans of the park either want or expect the park to add over the next few years.

Are you hoping for an Intamin blitz coaster like Pantheon? Maybe something new from Vekoma or B&M? Do you want something in The Vortex plot, or out in the Action Zone area of the park? These suggestions can be as realistic or as wild as you'd like. Maybe you think Kingda Ka will get relocated to Kings Island after its (rumored) closing.

Be as creative or detailed as you like! Feel free to respond to this post with your suggestions

Thank you for your time!

Welcome to KIC Alex!

Id like to see a big log flume in the old Vortex spot.

Something like Steel Vengeance in Action Zone would be a great addition as well.

[Vortex1987]

29 minutes ago, Cedar Fair Fanboy said:

Listen, You are trying to say to us that building a top spin inside, will be better than a Madhouse.  If it's past Six Flags, yes but Cedar Fair owns the majority of it.  They don't want a high maintenance ride that function the same way as "all the Top Spins"  they would rather do a new ride that'll be costly but have less break down.  Top Spins needs a lot of motors, electrical and oil fluids.  Madhouses only need Electrical and Hydraulics that mostly swings the gondola.  And you can do more with a Madhouse than a Top Spin.

Madhouses are lame. That building was built for a top spin, and that's what should go back in there.

 

All they do is rock back and forth, thats it. No thrill in that at all. I rode Houdini's Great Escape a few years ago at SFNE and didn't care for it at all. I thought it was boring and I left the ride thinking "that was awful!"

 

I'd rather have even the 2 inversion, ferris wheel in a box cycle Giant Top Spin back than a  madhouse. But what really needs to go in there IMO is a normal Huss Top Spin. 

 

Make it like TR:TR but without being themed to the TR IP. Like, instead of icicles, theres spikes, instead of shiva, its a different goddess, slightly different ride cycle, ect. 

 

Maybe I'm just salty I'll never get to experience TR:TR ever. I sadly never got to ride it, but I did manage to get The Crypt in V1 of its life during 2008 with the 9 inversion cycle, and the ferris wheel in a box cycle.

 

That was the single handedly scariest experience I've ever had on a ride. Still to this day the only ride to make me nauseous, and the only ride to truly scare me.

[WoodVengeance]

Just now, Vortex1987 said:

Madhouses are lame. 

 

All they do is rock back and forth, thats it. No thrill in that at all. I rode Houdini's Great Escape a few years ago at SFNE and didn't care for it at all. I thought it was boring and I left the ride thinking "that was awful!"

 

I'd rather have even the 2 inversion, ferris wheel in a box cycle Giant Top Spin back than a  madhouse. But what really needs to go in there IMO is a normal Huss Top Spin. 

 

Make it like TR:TR but without being themed to the TR IP. Like, instead of icicles, theres spikes, instead of shiva, its a different goddess, slightly different ride cycle, ect. 

 

Maybe I'm just salty I'll never get to experience TR:TR ever. I sadly never got to ride it, but I did manage to get The Crypt in V1 of its life during 2008 with the 9 inversion cycle, and the ferris wheel in a box cycle.

 

That was the single handedly scariest experience I've ever had on a ride. Still to this day the only ride to make me nauseous, and the only ride to truly scare me.

I agree. Personally, I don't really understand the hype for a Vekoma Madhouse when it doesn't really look like that impressive of a ride to begin with. To me it just looks like a room with a rotating wall, that's it. Might be a unique experience for one ride, but not one I could see myself riding more than once.

[johnjniehaus]

I'm not opposed to a top spin going back in there but I think the point is that it's never going to happen. They are maintenance heavy rides that in general do not get high ridership at the parks that do have them. How many parks do you see building new top spins versus parks removing top spins? I think lost Island built some kind of top spin but Kings Dominion, Six Flags Great America, and now Six Flags Great Adventure are all parks that I can name immediately that got rid of their top spin. 

As for the madhouse concept, I loved Houdini at great adventure and waited 30 minutes for it twice. I think madhouses are more about the illusion of flipping upside down and about the story/thematic elements. Sure a top spin is more thrilling but which ride will have less maintenance and higher ridership? I'm just saying that a high thrill ride that only daredevil teens and park enthusiasts will ride is not what the current park leadership is going to invest in. A mad house is right up their alley of trying to appeal to a wider audience with a new attraction. You can have smaller kids on a madhouse, teens, parents, and grandparents. It really is a family attraction that everyone can enjoy while being a very rerideable ride if the story is compelling and the effects are done well. The Houdini madhouses are possibly some of the worst ones compared to some of the ones they have in Europe. So while I'd enjoy a top spin, a madhouse is still a really really good option and there aren't very many of them in the USA so at least it would be something unique and different. 

[Cedar Fair Fanboy]

6 hours ago, johnjniehaus said:

I'm not opposed to a top spin going back in there but I think the point is that it's never going to happen. They are maintenance heavy rides that in general do not get high ridership at the parks that do have them. How many parks do you see building new top spins versus parks removing top spins? I think lost Island built some kind of top spin but Kings Dominion, Six Flags Great America, and now Six Flags Great Adventure are all parks that I can name immediately that got rid of their top spin. 

As for the madhouse concept, I loved Houdini at great adventure and waited 30 minutes for it twice. I think madhouses are more about the illusion of flipping upside down and about the story/thematic elements. Sure a top spin is more thrilling but which ride will have less maintenance and higher ridership? I'm just saying that a high thrill ride that only daredevil teens and park enthusiasts will ride is not what the current park leadership is going to invest in. A mad house is right up their alley of trying to appeal to a wider audience with a new attraction. You can have smaller kids on a madhouse, teens, parents, and grandparents. It really is a family attraction that everyone can enjoy while being a very rerideable ride if the story is compelling and the effects are done well. The Houdini madhouses are possibly some of the worst ones compared to some of the ones they have in Europe. So while I'd enjoy a top spin, a madhouse is still a really really good option and there aren't very many of them in the USA so at least it would be something unique and different. 

Thanks for the support.

[Timchat2]

A special event in the spring months (April and May) like the Peanuts Celebration or an expanded Food & Wine Festival would be a nice kickoff to the season before the summertime live entertainment lineup starts.

[David Ellis]

There are a lot of suggestions for Kings Island (Sxi Flags) would be several things:

1. Special Events in Spring months (April & May) like Peanuts Celebration and/or expanded Food & Wind Festival would be a great kickoff to the season before the Summer operation begins in May.

2. Yes---With The Bat & Banshee there.....I could absolutely foresee the possibility of renaming Action Zone into Mythical Village or Haunted Zone....It could go either way.

3. A new roller coaster.   I would not be surprised if it will become Vortex The Grip of Fear by way of B&M or Vekoma or Premier

4. New restaurants

5. Renovated bathrooms

6. Expanded shows

7. I would not be surprised if a new themed zone area will be added and be called Jungle Xpedition the same way as what Kings Dominion does.

[Diamondback_Is_King]

There are so many things that would be a good addition to Kings Island. Here are a few big ones:

 

Rides:

1. A new B&M wing coaster or dive coaster would fit well in the park, you could put this in The Vortex plot by The Beast (Think of walking down Coney Mall and seeing this new ride looming in the distance).

2. A ground-up RMC Son of Beast. So much woods to work with, and tons of space to work with.

3. A dark roller coaster similar to Revenge of the Mummy at Universal Studios Orlando

4. A Mack Rides Striker Coaster similar to Voltron at Europa Park. This model is epic and if it is anything similar to Voltron, this could be Kings Island's next best ride.

5. A Mack Rides indoor/outdoor water coaster similar to Journey to Atlantis at Seaworld Orlando

6. A Premier Rides multi-pass launch coaster with a spike and inversions

 

Food:

1. The food is pretty good already with a good variety, but if they upgraded their burgers to be extra smoked, that would be great.

2. Maybe add a good themed dining location (For example, a space-themed sit-down restaurant).

 

Special Events:

1. Have more rides open during Winterfest (Kudos to KI for opening more rides this year).

2. Add more family-type things to do during the Halloween Haunt

 

Park Revisions

1. Do something with the old Action Zone (Whether that be re-theme or what. You could do a whole scary section with both Banshee, Bat, and a possible RMC Son of Beast?)

2. Retire Invertigo and Congo River Falls (sorry to the Invertigo lovers) and replace it with something new.

3. Redo the front entrance. It kind of looks old and plain, and could be renovated

 

There are a couple of them! Thanks for the opportunity to respond and have a great day!!!

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

On 11/20/2024 at 12:46 PM, Diamondback_Is_King said:

3. Redo the front entrance. It kind of looks old and plain, and could be renovated

If the park renovated the entire front entrance, it would make the guest experience of getting into the park a lot better! One massive issue is that the guest flow is atrocious. Everyone processed through the north (left) security lines are funneled between a planter and a fence or said planter and the season pass building. Everyone processed through the south (right) lines is immediately at the turnstiles. There isn't really much room to expand the entrance plaza—so a Canada's Wonderland security line system is out of the question—but there is enough room to create an environment like a smaller Cedar Point or Carowinds entrance plaza. If I were KI management a renovation/reorganization of the entrance would be near the top of my list of "easy" projects.

And the parking lot needs a more than just repaving, but that's a topic for another time.

[Diamondback_Is_King]

16 hours ago, Losantiville Mining Co. said:

If the park renovated the entire front entrance, it would make the guest experience of getting into the park a lot better! One massive issue is that the guest flow is atrocious. Everyone processed through the north (left) security lines are funneled between a planter and a fence or said planter and the season pass building. Everyone processed through the south (right) lines is immediately at the turnstiles. There isn't really much room to expand the entrance plaza—so a Canada's Wonderland security line system is out of the question—but there is enough room to create an environment like a smaller Cedar Point or Carowinds entrance plaza. If I were KI management a renovation/reorganization of the entrance would be near the top of my list of "easy" projects.

And the parking lot needs a more than just repaving, but that's a topic for another time.

I would love to see an entrance at KI similar to Carowinds or Cedar Point! Couldn't agree more with what you said.

[OverlandTaxis30]

Redesign the way people can get in and out, but keep the cavernous entrance. 
Keep the slow reveal of international street and the tower. 

That is a part of the KI experience.

I don’t want KI to lose more of its charm. 

[CoasterJack]

I agree, I honestly think overtime the updated Carowinds and Cedar Point enterance plazas won't age as well. KI sort of has a more timeless feel to it, even if it does feel less up to date in the moment

[BeeastFarmer]

10 minutes ago, OverlandTaxis30 said:

Redesign the way people can get in and out, but keep the cavernous entrance. 
Keep the slow reveal of international street and the tower. 

That is a part of the KI experience.

I don’t want KI to lose more of its charm. 

Agree agree agree. Make the entrance more thematicband reroute the traffic flow, but don't make it a modern wasteland. Don't put a coaster element there.

I keep hearing that Sirens Curse would have been a great fit for The Vortex plot. I disagree. A tilt coaster, replacing Invertigo et al, would be a perfect skyline attraction as set the stage for coaster excitement.  It's relatively flat, developed land there. Take advantage of the terrain at Vortex .