We need a better FunTV

[CartersCoasters]

At Kings Island, funTV has gotten worse over the years. While some people don't care about it, people at the park 10 to 10 who need to save their phone battery rely on it for entertainment. The only thing on funTV now is ads for Coca-Cola products, and Skittles. KI really needs to take notes on Cedar Point's funTV. They have a good mix of ads, music videos, the weather station, and videos like "Sirens Curse'D Reactions". What's even cooler is that there, each of the bigger coasters have their own funTV station, with different theming. They also use way better TVs and put them in the shade so they last. The park really needs to take a break on adding new rides, and should enhance the other things instead and put their profit into those areas.

[cdubbs727]

23 minutes ago, CartersCoasters said:

At Kings Island, funTV has gotten worse over the years. While some people don't care about it, people at the park 10 to 10 who need to save their phone battery rely on it for entertainment. The only thing on funTV now is ads for Coca-Cola products, and Skittles. KI really needs to take notes on Cedar Point's funTV. They have a good mix of ads, music videos, the weather station, and videos like "Sirens Curse'D Reactions". What's even cooler is that there, each of the bigger coasters have their own funTV station, with different theming. They also use way better TVs and put them in the shade so they last. The park really needs to take a break on adding new rides, and should enhance the other things instead and put their profit into those areas.

Did they get rid of the park-specific programming? FunTV used to have short features made exclusively for Kings Island, highlighting coasters or just having fun with things around the park. 

I'm assuming now it's all corporately run out of the central office and it would cost more to program specific KI stuff (CP probably gets an extra focus because it has the longer lines). But it's a bummer to hear that's gone. 

I remember years (decades) back, CP tried out DJs in its longest lines. I loved that; was a fun way to pass the time. Cost-prohibitive, I'm sure. But I wish KI would find some way to make its lines a bit more interactive. Mystic Timbers and FoF are about as themed as the queues get. 

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

FunTV's main purpose is to be a space for ads. Some of the park-specific programming is still there (all of the switch-around games use the park logo), but other parts of it are generally similar to what's available overall. 

I would assume that we aren't seeing any ride reaction videos because Kings Island hasn't installed a major thrill coaster since Orion, and Snoopy's Soap Box Racers and River Racers don't necessarily work as well for that kind of video. The ride POVs are good entertainment for places like the Festhaus and it would be nice to even see some stuff from other parks come to KI's programming loop. 

My complaint about things like FunTV is that the programming loop never seems to be terribly long — especially in the Festhaus. There have been times when I've spent a morning at the park and seen the same loop three times in three hours. Much like the music playlists throughout the park, it feels like they turn on one playlist/loop with a very limited amount of things on it and replay it every day with no variation at all. It's definitely more work to create different or longer programming loops, but is it not worth it to make some of the guest experience better? 

42 minutes ago, CartersCoasters said:

While some people don't care about it, people at the park 10 to 10 who need to save their phone battery rely on it for entertainment.

The solution to this problem is to start printing physical tickets/season pass cards again while also providing accessible methods for charging phones. Six Flags America had FuelRod stations throughout the park/gift shops that are just a small battery bank. I'd like to see things like that come to/return to Kings Island. If the park could install the smaller free lockers in each coaster line and start printing season pass cards again, then that would take care of two major complaints park goers have.

[disco2000]

1 hour ago, CartersCoasters said:

At Kings Island, funTV has gotten worse over the years. While some people don't care about it, people at the park 10 to 10 who need to save their phone battery rely on it for entertainment.

What did people do in line before cell phones and FunTVs....

[CartersCoasters]

3 hours ago, Losantiville Mining Co. said:

FunTV's main purpose is to be a space for ads. Some of the park-specific programming is still there (all of the switch-around games use the park logo), but other parts of it are generally similar to what's available overall. 

I would assume that we aren't seeing any ride reaction videos because Kings Island hasn't installed a major thrill coaster since Orion, and Snoopy's Soap Box Racers and River Racers don't necessarily work as well for that kind of video. The ride POVs are good entertainment for places like the Festhaus and it would be nice to even see some stuff from other parks come to KI's programming loop. 

My complaint about things like FunTV is that the programming loop never seems to be terribly long — especially in the Festhaus. There have been times when I've spent a morning at the park and seen the same loop three times in three hours. Much like the music playlists throughout the park, it feels like they turn on one playlist/loop with a very limited amount of things on it and replay it every day with no variation at all. It's definitely more work to create different or longer programming loops, but is it not worth it to make some of the guest experience better? 

The solution to this problem is to start printing physical tickets/season pass cards again while also providing accessible methods for charging phones. Six Flags America had FuelRod stations throughout the park/gift shops that are just a small battery bank. I'd like to see things like that come to/return to Kings Island. If the park could install the smaller free lockers in each coaster line and start printing season pass cards again, then that would take care of two major complaints park goers have.

You're right, the loop is REALLY small. It's a couple of POVs, a million ads, and then the weather.

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

Including a weather forecast that (I don't think) gets updated throughout the day. 

[SPONGEBOB_FAN_97]

They should show reels and have AI voice overs of Joe Rogan being like “buy a Fast Lane, it saves you time and money.” 
 

also more AI, like a TMZ style KI NEWS segment where it’s like that offical sounding voice AI that people use and it’s like “Drake was spotted on The Racer” and it shows an image of him on The Racer in a sweatshirt hands down. 

Also trends, like it’s just food reviews w different local micro influencers and they’re like “MMMM THIS SANDWICH IS SO TASTY” and it’s just them eating in their cars with KI in the background.

Thoughts?

[cdubbs727]

15 hours ago, disco2000 said:

What did people do in line before cell phones and FunTVs....

Talked to friends, played cards (saw this a lot), looked at their shoes, panicked about the ride, and made out. 

[disco2000]

1 hour ago, cdubbs727 said:

Talked to friends, played cards (saw this a lot), looked at their shoes, panicked about the ride, and made out. 

Exactly.  A lot of human interaction and social skills were learned in lines back then.  A skill many employers say today's generation lacks because they are always on their phone!

[cdubbs727]

39 minutes ago, disco2000 said:

Exactly.  A lot of human interaction and social skills were learned in lines back then.  A skill many employers say today's generation lacks because they are always on their phone!

BRING BACK PDA IN LINES!!!! 

[shark6495]

In a previous life I did some Tv programming for a few college stations and a few digital sub stations. It’s not as difficult as it sounds to do. The initial upfront could be but you could do it in a way that creates a fairly easy multi-hour loop. 

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

7 hours ago, cdubbs727 said:

Talked to friends, played cards (saw this a lot), looked at their shoes, panicked about the ride, and made out. 

Too bad you can't bring a deck of cards into some lines at these parks anymore  

15 hours ago, SPONGEBOB_FAN_97 said:

They should show reels and have AI voice overs of Joe Rogan being like “buy a Fast Lane, it saves you time and money.”

At this point they could just show TikToks that the park has made. They already have some with the AI voiceover trend in it. (also, I would like to see less AI in the parks. It is part of what makes places look trashy and low-budget)

[BeeastFarmer]

8 hours ago, cdubbs727 said:

Talked to friends, played cards (saw this a lot), looked at their shoes, panicked about the ride, and made out. 

Also, smoked weed. Especially Kentons Cove Keelboat Canal!

[IBEW_Sparky]

On 8/7/2025 at 4:48 PM, disco2000 said:

What did people do in line before cell phones and FunTVs....

Tried absolutely as hard as possible to concentrate on watching the trains and loading/offloading and vehemently ignoring people in the line because 90% of what is seen and overheard (like one braintrust who was claiming his friends that Backlot inverted 3 times inside the building) in a line drives me bananas.  Now, if I don't have FL... well I don't go without FL, but if I HAD to Id go to a park with someone to enjoy the time with.

[Gordon Bombay]

Just show highlights from one of the season pass holder Facebook pages. Lots of good information from normal people can be found there. 

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

You could also see a lot of "Why is [coaster x] down???" while you're standing in line for [coaster x]

[kingsislandfan1972]

Honestly I've never really been a fan of the FunTVs, I mean some rides yeah it makes sense but when you're waiting in lines like Boo Blasters... it kind of takes away from the spooky atmosphere the ride is supposed to have, they used to play eerie music before but they FunTVs have taken over that. In retrospect would anybody actually miss them if they went away? It seems like most people in line dont  even pay attention to them and more focused on their phones, but thats just my opinion.

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

I'm sure the parks would miss the ad revenue they bring in.

[Joshua]

I only enjoy FunTV during Haunt. Those clips from Night of the Living Dead and Carnival of Souls really hit the spot while waiting for The Beast.