Kings Island Trip Report June 3rd

[dkny6363]

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.



 

[GADVwow]

Flight Deck was braked HOW?

I think you meant gradually!  (not quite the word you used...which would have applied to Scooby's Ghoster Coaster...or to Acrophobia at Six Flags Over Georgia!)

And Beast is a night ride...especially.

[WadeJ]

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?

[AV Matt]

It's a shame you couldn't get a night ride on The Beast. Shoe almost missed out on getting one as well when we were there Monday. A big storm came in around 9 and shut all of the outdoor coasters down. We headed over to FoF since it was the only one open and after exiting that at about 9:55pm, we discovered clear skies and bolted across the park to get in line before they closed the queue. We had to wait out the fireworks  and then it started raining again, but we managed to get the last train of the night! Earlier in the day after our ride, Shoe didn't seem to like it too much, but I was happy to hear him say after the night ride, "I kind of like it now." It grows on ya! Even our 10pm night ride was not exactly DARK back in the woods. The rain was picking up all the ambient light and it felt like the most heavily trimmed ride I ever had on it. Hopefully next time you'll get a great, dark, night ride!

I'm anxious to get back to CW and ride Vortex again now. I've never noticed the "differences".

Diamondback was super lame on Monday when Shoe and I rode. The first three hills were good, then the trims killed the rest of it. Why B&M? Why?

Racer was running splendidly for us. Our group split up and took turns on both sides and had some great races with lots of airtime. It was the best I've seen the Racer in over ten years.

[dkny6363]

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?

[GADVwow]

Kings Island has assigned seats on Diamondback since day 1 on all the but the very lightest of days.  The locals seem to LIKE it that way.  Go figure.

Legend is intended to be an homage to the Beast.  It is legendARY.

[nitrorox1414]

Good report. ill get up there someday.

[Millennium Force 44]

First off, great to meet you Canada! Nice trip report. We went to KI on Sunday and I got to ride everything except for Firehawk and Invertigo. I will have a trip report up soon, but I will add a few of my comments on KI right now. As Matt said, I didn't really "understand" The Beast the first time I rode it. I still think that it doesn't really have much of a point, other than the fact that it is the world's longest wooden coaster. The night ride was much better though. I absolutely love the helix at the end. I think that's the best part of the ride. Rob, I like certain laterals now after riding the Beast and the Legend. Both rides have phenomenal helices! I was disappointed with Diamondback. I only got one ride on it and sat in the second to last car. The first drop was great, but the trim brake on the hill right before the MCBR was absolutely terrible. It was so strong that all I can think of is how terrible that part is, which is why I didn't like Diamondback. Is it really necessary to trim a hill right before the MCBR? What's the point of the MCBR by that point??

[nitrorox1414]

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

[AV Matt]

Yes, that is exactly what they do. I got the middle. It sucked, but Shoe said the back sucked too. The trimming was ridiculous. Nitro on a cold, windy day in early season is better (at least than that particular lap). I have had a pretty darn great ride on it before.

[GADVwow]

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

[B-mac]

Is it really necessary to trim a hill right before the MCBR? What's the point of the MCBR by that point??

It's better than behemoth where there's a trim on every hill...

[AV Matt]

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

[dkny6363]

Is it really necessary to trim a hill right before the MCBR? What's the point of the MCBR by that point??

It's better than behemoth where there's a trim on every hill...

There is only one substantial trim on behemoth. The first drop after the turnaround.

[Millennium Force 44]

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

[dkny6363]

The first year it was on and off. Now it's always on. When it was off that hill was ejector city.

How was the starlight at KI? They didn't have it when we went due to the 8 o'clock close.

RF2 does that BS assigned seated as well. Totally annoying. Seems like ppl tend to stay in the middle of the train for RF2 though. Possibly due to fear. On my 3 rides I got front (By Luck), then back (By Luck Again), and then Car 5 Back Row. Overall not too bad. RF2 to totally a back seat ride.

[AV Matt]

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.

[jimmybjammin]

If anyone goes to KI, do the early entry for diamond back 9am sat, 930 sunday/weekdays, etc. It's the only time there is NO assigned seating. Beast is also early entry.  Sat may 14th I went to KI and was able to get over 6 rides in before 30K people ran in at 10am. Firehawk has extremely slow loading so the early entry helps there on a Sunday for example.. less of a run. I pretty much agree with your grades, Flight deck is great. FOF is a longer queue at KI than KD, and the preshow at KI is cheesy. I need a night ride on the Beast too..

[GADVwow]

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...

[dkny6363]

Some of these vortex, FD differences may have been in my head. I went on vortex last week and the turnaround was a little sharper than I remembered, and the brake run was closer than I had thought. It was however definitely faster, and the train don't sag back down to 0 degrees like FD. A new development on our BLSC is that the section where you stop to get shot at by the chopper is now a rolling stop. Which is to say you don't stop. The brake still catches you of course but releases you immediately. Officially all the bells and whistles that came along with the Italian job are now gone. Including the name and the minis.

[AV Matt]

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.

[GADVwow]

They did more than that...the distinctive BMW mini headlight style was smoothed out and removed..while, curiously, the taillights remained...

[jimmybjammin]

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.

[GADVwow]

ALL BMW theming on all three former Italian Job: Stunt Coasters has been removed.  Cedar Fair did not renew the BMW license.  None of the coaster trains now have doors...

[jimmybjammin]

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..