I took my family to kings island this past week due to the fact it was on the way to Holiday world. I wasn't overly excited about it but was still anticipating a good time. This was the first old paramount park i've been to aside from CW my home park. Before I get into ride reviews let me say I found the park to be very pleasing to the eye. It reminded me alot of wonderland when first entering. The main strip is very similar.

We first walked all the way to the back of Coney Mall where we rode Vortex.
I found it very enjoyable and probably the best arrow looper i've been on other than dragon mtn.
about what I expected C+

Then we went on backlot... It took us a while to find the entrance but once we got on it was about what we expected. Very similar to CW's Stunt coaster. C

After that we walked underneath racer to Firehawk, and Flight of Fear. We got in line for Firehawk first cuz i've been told when the lines get long they move really slow. The line was very short and it still took about 20 minutes. I found the ride to be about what I expected. Quite thrilling, somewhat uncomfortable. I'd say I liked it better than superman, but between the 2 rides the best element would be Superman's pretzel loop. I just found firehawk a litre more of a complete experience. B+

Then we went on FOF. Wow is that pre-show ever cheesy! But we all really like the ride. Especially the launch, and that slow building ending. This ride actually exceeded my expectations. B+

Racer... Didn't get a race. It was too early. C+

Adventure Express... Best Mine ride I've been on but how good could a mine ride be? I enjoyed the best views of SOB from this ride. C-

We then did drop tower, and jungle rapids. They both were what they were. I really liked the bump in JR's though. Catches you off guard.

Now for one of my main reasons for this trip... Flight Deck! Wow what a walk to get to it. I actually kind of like the walk, it built up anticipation and almost ensures there is no line when you get there. We sat in the front because I think its the only way to give it fair review. Overall I really liked it. Something seemed odd about it though and I couldn't put my finger on it then and i'm not sure I can now either. A while back we were talking about how FD, and Vortex have identical layouts and GadvWOW mentioned that they aren't. At the time I just brushed that aside. It seemed silly. But I think he's right. It's almost as if arrow tried to duplicate it based on memory and not on actual numbers. Granted it follows essentially the same route as vortex it doesn't seem like the same ride at all to me. First off the brake run is in a different spot. It's much closer on FD. Also the  turns seem different. It could be cuz Vortex is faster but they just have a completely different feel. Now I don't know the terms to describe what I mean but I'll try my best. When you go around a bend on vortex the cars swoop up and slightly dip back down then swoop back up again. They seem to go to 110 degs, to 80 degs, back up to 110. On flight deck they come right down after the initial swoop. As if from 110, to 0, and back up to 110. I was very surprised by this. Also the turn around by SOB was a tight turn. Like the kind of turn on Diamonback to start the trip home. Vortex its way more gradual. Almost like the turn over lake Rudolph on raven. This one could just be in my head. One last difference is the speed on the return trip. Vortex flys on the way back to the extent it slams into the brake run and stops violently. FD coasts back and brakes genitally,this may have something to do with the location of the brakes. Maybe even a higher height of the brakes.
All in all I still found FD very good, and I hope it lasts for years. B


Then it was time for launch. We ate at panda express because it was inside that festavous building or whatever it's called. Expensive, but decent food.

After lunch we saw Rockband, and I'm pretty sure I will never get that half hour of my life back.

Then we went up the Eiffel tower. That was really cool. Great photo spot.

Then Diamondback. We rode it twice, and both times really enjoyed it. I get what you guys say about it being a more complete ride than Behemoth. The ending flows very nicely and I enjoyed every minute. I still like behemoth better cuz I find the first park of it blows diamondabck away. Especially the turnaround. Also I didn't like how there was assigned seating on diamondback. I find the middle 4 cars on behemoth useless so I surely don't want to be placed in them. Fortunately the ride op let us sit in the back when we told him we came from far away. I still like behemoth more but I'm starting to realize picking favorites on B&M mega coasters sort of like splitting hairs. A-


Invertigo... Sickening this ride made us feel. It was kind of funny sitting face to face like that. C

Little log ride. Pretty fun.


Last but not least... The Beast. We rode it in the back which was good, then again near the front for our last ride, which was not as good. I honestly had too much of a headache at that point to enjoy it. Too many KI steel coasters, and too much sun. Possibly too much rockband! I liked it but didn't love it. I think my favourite parts where the suuuuper slow lift, the drop of course, and the second drop into the helix. The helix was insane. I can't grade it though. Incomplete is my grade. I need to ride it at night with a non-annoying ride op on the mic. I think riding it with wood coaster lovers might help too. I just don't think I gave it a fair shake.

All in all KI was a decent park. Alot of decent coasters, with a few really good ones.I wouldn't run back, but I wouldn't stay away either.



 

Nice review.  And about how I'd put everything as well.  I've never ridden Beast at night either so I guess I'll have to get back.  I'm not sure what it is (perhaps it's smaller size?) but Vortex has seemed to age much better than other Arrow loopers.  Although that doesn't seem to hold true for the smallish Viper @ SFOG.  But then again, I think that was a Vekoma ride?

Rides like racer need a group to make it good. You need to get into the race also. Thats one thing I don't like about lightning racer at hershey. It's a great ride but you can get too into the race and not enjoy your ride. I find it hard to even know whos winning until the very end LR. Racer, and Gemini capture the race feel much better.

Did Diamondback always assign seats? That to me is a deal breaker. Yeah the guy will usually hook you up but thats besides the point. You shouldn't have to pay to get in, wait in line then not get to sit where you want. I get why they do it but there should be a way around it. Especially when we went it was only a 10-15 minute wait. Who cares if it's not running at full capacity when theres a 10 minute wait. I'll wait 10.5 minutes for the back thank you very much. I like thay drop on DB right after the brake. It sneaks up on you. Splashdowns are like bows on christmas gifts. Looks nice but POINTLESS!

Don't take these differences as gospel. I don't know my stuff that well yet. Could just be i'm a Vortex homer and my mind is playing tricks on me. You'd almost have to ride them both in the same week i'm guessing. I think maybe it stuck out to me cuz I know Vortex so well.

Is it just me or are there similarities between the beast, and legend?

Good report. ill get up there someday.

So they tell you. go sit in the 4th row. go sit in the 9th row

If you ask nicely, they will usually (but not always) honor your preference...

There is, but they don't ruin the ride... the lame placement of the block brake and subsequent "ending" do that.

^yea that's what I thought. When I rode Behemoth I could barely even feel it.

The Starlight thing was Awesome! The sparkling Eiffel Tower was beautiful!. It's such a cool idea; I wish they would extend it throughout the park. A couple of my friends with us were locals and they were really surprised at cool it was. It reminded them of the old days before Paramount came in and started stripping away all of the charm of the place.

Kings Island has not had 30,000 guests on a Saturday in quite some time....

And there are times other than ERT when the park does assign seats on Diamondback...

Kings Island's is still stopping and doing the "show" with fire (as you saw I'm sure), but Kings Dominion's had no fire when we were there at the beginning of May.

Are you saying they modified the trains so they don't resemble Mini's? The other two rides just painted each train one color and got rid of the doors and audio.

stunt coaster at KI didn't have doors, etc. KD had the doors last year. I can't recall if KI had the fire during that stop, I know KD did last year in Aug. Both still looked like minis, but KD's was prettier last Aug when I went.

It's good that I rode it when there was some theme to it still, I originally thought the lack of doors, etc. Seemed cheap and tacky at KI, Now I'll know it's gone everywhere due to the license not being renewed..