Kings Island General Discussion 2026

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

The Diamondback queue structure is so badly needed! It'd help bring the "town" feel back to Rivertown while refreshing the DB experience. Drawing the view back down to the ground will also help this section of Rivertown overall. If they do anything for the FOF queue I'd hope they would choose a design that keeps the trees or plants new ones nearby. Area 72 as it currently exists is so devoid of plant life that it'd be a shame to lose more.

[IBEW_Sparky]

22 hours ago, jimlaheyscar said:

What savings? The gold is more now than it was previously. Only savings now are on dining and all parks Fast Lane. 

Umm, not having to blow extra dough on Prestige to get all parks passport... which I would have with the jank stunt they pulled with KI Gold requiring Prestige to get APP... when all I really want/need is access to the parks I mentioned and maybe CP once or twice.  This eliminates my requirement for both needless upgrades.

[Diamondback_Is_King]

3 hours ago, Hawaiian Coasters 325 said:

Another "wish" I have which won't happen this season and likely won't happen in the future as the ROI likely isn't worth it to those in charge is to see popular rides with very little shade get a shaded structure. I mocked up some "queue house" ideas for Diamondback and Flight of Fear (the old Firehawk queue which is used more than the current indoor queue). Diamondback's is based on the old Rivertown Mining Company building that used to be there and FOF's is based on the theme of Area 72

 

Those little triangle-shaped shade thingy or whatever they are called that you find in Diamondback's or Banshee's queue do almost nothing for you. They don't even help with the rain. They're kinda useless to be honest. I wish we could have more structures like this in the park. Something like the Mystic Timbers covered areas that don't get used to often would be great. And while you're at it, add a little snake animatronic in a tool shed for Diamondback or a haunted shed with flickering lights in the Banshee line. It would give the guests something to "look forward to" while waiting in line and provide some more shade and theming.

[jimlaheyscar]

4 hours ago, IBEW_Sparky said:

Umm, not having to blow extra dough on Prestige to get all parks passport... which I would have with the jank stunt they pulled with KI Gold requiring Prestige to get APP... when all I really want/need is access to the parks I mentioned and maybe CP once or twice.  This eliminates my requirement for both needless upgrades.

What? All Parks was included for free with gold. 

 

 

Wonder if they will do anything for folks that paid $1k for all season Fast Lane now that it's less than half that price.

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

7 hours ago, Diamondback_Is_King said:

Those little triangle-shaped shade thingy or whatever they are called that you find in Diamondback's or Banshee's queue do almost nothing for you. They don't even help with the rain. They're kinda useless to be honest. I wish we could have more structures like this in the park. Something like the Mystic Timbers covered areas that don't get used to often would be great. And while you're at it, add a little snake animatronic in a tool shed for Diamondback or a haunted shed with flickering lights in the Banshee line. It would give the guests something to "look forward to" while waiting in line and provide some more shade and theming.

If anything can be done for Banshee's queue, I'd love to see the ride photo room/arcade/former gift shop be turned into some in-line lockers (with the ride photo booth being moved somewhere across the path). After that they could see about installing some kind of better shelter in the rest of the queue. A haunted shed might not be the best thematically — I'd imagine a mausoleum might fit better — but the station is designed in the "Cedar Fair 2012-2016 big bricks" style so any major thematic choices won't matter as much as they would have for Mystic Timbers. This would be a great opportunity to continue the paranormal park storyline officially established with Area 72. 

As big as this theoretical project is getting, I'd also love to see more thematic cohesion brought back to Rivertown overall. Bring the log flume back into RT, put up more nautical (in the riverfaring sense) theming, and find a way to bring the "town" feeling back. [Also tear down the Tomb Raider building and replace it with a Beast Canyon expansion] Stuff like that.

[beastfan11]

8 hours ago, jimlaheyscar said:

What? All Parks was included for free with gold. 

Pretty sure that’s not true. 

[robintodd]

42 minutes ago, beastfan11 said:

Pretty sure that’s not true. 

It was if you bought it early enough the allpark passport was included with gold this season.  (I got it for my grandkids).

[disco2000]

56 minutes ago, beastfan11 said:

Pretty sure that’s not true. 

It was if you bought during the MVP sale.

[jcoop22]

6 hours ago, Losantiville Mining Co. said:

If anything can be done for Banshee's queue, I'd love to see the ride photo room/arcade/former gift shop be turned into some in-line lockers (with the ride photo booth being moved somewhere across the path). After that they could see about installing some kind of better shelter in the rest of the queue. A haunted shed might not be the best thematically — I'd imagine a mausoleum might fit better — but the station is designed in the "Cedar Fair 2012-2016 big bricks" style so any major thematic choices won't matter as much as they would have for Mystic Timbers. This would be a great opportunity to continue the paranormal park storyline officially established with Area 72. 

As big as this theoretical project is getting, I'd also love to see more thematic cohesion brought back to Rivertown overall. Bring the log flume back into RT, put up more nautical (in the riverfaring sense) theming, and find a way to bring the "town" feeling back. [Also tear down the Tomb Raider building and replace it with a Beast Canyon expansion] Stuff like that.

Camp Snoopy being next to Rivertown is not bad for cohesion if it was leaned into more.

[rlentless]

1 hour ago, disco2000 said:

It was if you bought during the MVP sale.

I was going to do a wait and see and renew my Gold Passes in April in case of any bait-n-switch.  But for me, it was a no-brainer when we got all parks and my renewal was only $99. Just too good to pass up.

I guess they would get us if they remove or restrict Halloween Haunt (more), Winterfest, or even Soak City.  But even if I only had park admission and free parking, $99 is a good value.  Just don't anymore up-charges or removals KI.

[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

Apparently a meeting took place at Kings Dominion with the new CEO John Reilly with multiple KD media influencers where the discussion was about the future of the park. I really hope we see one of these at Kings Island as its no secret that the relationship between the park and some of the bigger media influencers haven't been the best lately. 

[DonHelbig]

6 minutes ago, Hawaiian Coasters 325 said:

Apparently a meeting took place at Kings Dominion with the new CEO John Reilly with multiple KD media influencers where the discussion was about the future of the park. I really hope we see one of these at Kings Island as its no secret that the relationship between the park and some of the bigger media influencers haven't been the best lately. 

They should do this at KI but wouldn’t invite some who are among the bigger influencers and most trusted voices with fans. And as a result, the relationship between the park and these influencers would remain the same: not the best. 

[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

30 minutes ago, DonHelbig said:

They should do this at KI but wouldn’t invite some who are among the bigger influencers and most trusted voices with fans. And as a result, the relationship between the park and these influencers would remain the same: not the best. 

I mean KD invited Clint Novak as well as Brian Sterowski who are both highly regarded KD influencers and aren't hesitant to criticize the park when things aren't great. 

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

4 hours ago, jcoop22 said:

Camp Snoopy being next to Rivertown is not bad for cohesion if it was leaned into more.

I wonder if there's something Kings Island could do to revitalize that little section of the area (specifically from the DB Trading Post over to the log flume) outside of just putting up a sign that says "Rivertown". A sign would be nice, but it wouldn't help in the way the area needs.

It's a bit of a shame that the seating around the Snake Pit/Tom + Chee booth was expanded into the back of that planter only for it all to become a bar that doesn't need any seating. The loss of that foliage isn't too bad, but there's still something off about it. I think it would do just fine as a dining location again, though. That way the tables might actually serve a purpose again.

[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

15 hours ago, Losantiville Mining Co. said:

 A haunted shed might not be the best thematically — I'd imagine a mausoleum might fit better — 

I came up with a mausoleum concept for Banshee's queue. It goes over the main part of the queue that is usually first to open up when the line gets longer

 

[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

Elizabeth Nadeu, The digital marketing manager has announced she is leaving Kings Island to take the social media and community manager position at P&G: 

https://www.instagram.com/p/DUo86ZCDIpJ5QSkQbDTE6spzt7I1Y64vNya3PA0/?img_index=1

I know some of you have mixed feelings about her, but she was always nice to me and I will miss her around the park and I wish her nothing but the best moving forward. 

[Orion-XL200]

My feelings were never mixed, but this will be good for KI. 

I hope she finds success.

[DonHelbig]

2 hours ago, Hawaiian Coasters 325 said:

Elizabeth Nadeu, The digital marketing manager has announced she is leaving Kings Island to take the social media and community manager position at P&G: 

https://www.instagram.com/p/DUo86ZCDIpJ5QSkQbDTE6spzt7I1Y64vNya3PA0/?img_index=1

I know some of you have mixed feelings about her, but she was always nice to me and I will miss her around the park and I wish her nothing but the best moving forward. 

I recommended that she be the one hired for the seasonal digital content coordinator position prior to the start of the 2023 season. I wish her well in her new position at P&G. 

[YuYuYuuki]

Here's a video my friend made about our August 2025 visit!

 

[robintodd]

Yet another sign of opening day getting closer.  Woodstock's Whirlybirds are on the track!

Also the ride vehicles for Phantom's Theatre are starting to dissapear at the royal fountain stage.

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

What do we think these white stacks of items are in the bottom right? They are being delivered by a forklift and look a little too big to be flooring tiles or ceiling tiles.