Youre right. Beast at night is absolutely incredible. That second lift hill's gradual drop where it feels like a locomotive building up steam is second to none.
Hands down one of the best parks in the country. It's actually my #2 park overall behind only Cedar Point. The rides, atmosphere (particularly at night), and operations make this park special. I've also found the staff to be rather friendly, even if they're not on par with Disney or Herschend parks.
I'd agree if Cedar Point was merely meh in the atmosphere and design department. But I actually think it's bad for much of the park - far too much of it basically feels like Action Zone at KI (by far the worst area of KI). I think that sinks it below KI for me despite the coaster collection.
When "The Bat" first opened as Top Gun, that ridiculously long ride queue was actually filled. There was a lot of fighter jet theming built into it as well. People were waiting 2+ hours to ride it.
This was a really heartwarming overview, I was just stoking childhood nostalgia looking up videos of the late Americana park and wondered how King's Island was faring these days. For a while I couldn't think of this place without crippling sadness over how much it must have changed since the Paramount days I grew up with (as much from changes to the park as missing old friends, you know how it goes), but seeing it flourishing here is helping me let go of that. I hope I can go back someday, and that Flight of Fear is still around when I do.
Glad to see someone positive about the Mystic and Adventure Express endings. I don't get why some people act like those things ruin the rides. And yeah, great night rides at the park. You almost have to show up during Haunt to get the full experience. You're right about the restrooms. They need a regular restroom in the middle of coney mall (or in Area 72, though there is a single family restroom there) and they could use one near the center of the park near the tower. And maybe a couple more.
My son and I have platinum passes and by far kings island is the cleanest and friendliest park that we’ve been to. I believe that if they would build either a RMC ground up or a intense multi launch coaster it could propel them to one of they greatest parks in the world. Great videos brother keep them coming!! KI is my home park so I’m probably a little bias!!
Thank you I didn't even know The Bat existed at the time until I did more research of this place and I didn't know where to find it until I saw this video. Thanks again :)
The best time for night rides on Mystic Timbers is during Winterfest. It absolutely FLIES in the cold weather, making for the best possible rides all year. To top it off, the Fast Lane line is converted into a free single rider line.
Personally this is my favorite park with a gigantic catch. It’s my home park. For me personally the ride collection isn’t too far off from Cedar Point. The operations and atmosphere at KI push it over the top. It’s very easy to take things slower and hangout with friends than Cedar Point for me at least.
I'm going for the first time in October and I'm really looking forward to it. I'm 50 and I've never been on a proper roller coaster. When I was a kid I was too scared to go on the now legendary Schwarzkopf Doppel Looping at our county fair. I used to stand there watching my mom marathon it when she took us. I regret it now. I decided I wanted to go to a park to experience some good coasters and have some fun. After some research I picked KI as my destination for a quick long weekend trip. I'm ready to go fast and stuff my face with funnel cakes. Thanks for the great review.
Glad you mentioned the rain. My first 2 coasters were Beast and Vortex as a 10 year old in 1990. At the top of Vortex the skies opened up and heavy rain, lightning, and hail started. It freaking HURT but my brother and I love severe weather and were laughing like maniacs in the front row. At least half the people behind us were bawling when we got off. 😂😂😂 I wished I'd had the money to buy everyone's on-ride pictures afterward. 😭😭😭
This is my favorite cedar fair park. The ride and coaster lineup can’t touch cedar point’s top coasters, but I always have a much more fun day at Kings Island. It feels much more manageable and is well loved by locals and well taken care of by park staff.
Kings Island roller coasters are BY FAR better than Cedar Point with the exception of the Blue Streak. Adventure Express is better than the Mine Ride, the Bat is better than Draggin Iron, The Racer is better than the Gemini, Banshee is better than Raptor, Diamondback is better than Rougaru and Valravn and Orion is better than Millinneum Force.
@carsonog333 Dragster sucks. Maverick is fun and Steel Vengeance is intense but not worth an hour wait. The Beast, Mystic Timbers, Diamondback, Orion and The Racer are still soo much better.
I am proud to call Kings Island( along with Kentucky Kingdom and Dollywood) one of my three home parks. It is also one of the reasons why Cincinnati is my favorite city in America. Kings Island introduced me to my first major roller coaster (Blue Racer Credit 16), my first suspended coaster (Flight Deck/The Bat credit 18), my first suspended coaster (Flying Ace Aerial Chase credit 36), my first launch coaster (Backlot Stunt Coaster credit 37, and my first Hyper coaster (Daimondback credit 39). It is soon to introduce me to my first Boomerang, Invert, and Giga. One time, the ride ops on Woodstock Express called it Beastie, Scooby Doo, and the Fairly Odd Coaster on three successive dispatches. For my first ride on Blue Racer, the ride ops let people jump my dad in line so he could race me and my mom. I have had many fond memories growing up with friends and family, and many more yet to come.
Cincinnati is in Ohio, not Kentucky. As a kid, I grew up going to KI every summer for IBM family weekend, and I now live 90 minutes from Cedar Point. It's nice having access to two amazing parks.
I've never had a bad Saturday at KI no matter when I went. You may not get too many rerides, but you can absolutely get them all in and some rerides on a saturday
And also I have to ask why you think there aren't enough bathrooms. Like dude they have plenty of bathrooms and I'm a girl. I never have to wait in a line except up at the front gate. What do you mean?
I worked at Cedar Point in college and each of my 3 kids have worked at least 1 summer at KI. We had season passes for years at KI when the kids were young. I rode The Beast in its 1st year (1979). Cant' wait to ride it this year's refurbished track!! It's a great park.
Orion, Diamondback, or Mystic Timbers could be my #1 here depending on the mood, they're all so good. This is one of my favorite parks but I do have a couple critiques. One is that there doesn't seem to be enough options for food/drinks. Every place was slammed with crowds. Also, I feel like the right side of the park gets overcrowded because they have the majority of their kids attractions all in one spot which happens to be the same path people take to Rivertown.
Kings Island had one of the strongest food lineups in the Cedar Fair chain up until a few years ago. Since then Cedar Fair has taken food more seriously with a ton of new large restaurants going in everywhere. Kings Island has been left behind as others have caught up. You're right it could use a new one - there's an area near Diamondback's brake run and a foot of the Eiffel Tower (across-ish from the floral clock) that I think could fit a sit down restaurant if they wanted to do it there. There's also the Tomb Raider/Crypt site but I know that's used well for Haunt so maybe not. You could also probably put one in in Coney Island backing up against Backlot Stunt Coaster.
@@Danrarbc I was walking with my friend and pointed out that place as well...it's one of the few sections of the park that really felt empty and awkward.
While I ultimately prefer Magic Mountain and Cedar Point for their superior coaster collections and Cedar Point's unbeatable location, Kings Island is a phenomenal park. I'm generally more of a theme park fan but I think Kings Island is the park that all amusement parks ought to emulate. It uses the terrain very well without having excessive up hill hikes. The park looks fantastic. The coasters are top notch, as are the thrill rides and flat rides. And where I complain because I think Cedar Point's biggest weakness is that it has boring uninspired queue lines, Kings Island actually has some pretty decent queue lines that make the wait far more bearable.
It’s ironic that you prefer Cedar Point as Cedar Fair has stacked the parks that way. If paramount still owned the park, there would be a lot more coasters by now, but the atmosphere would be lacking and it would be dirty.
I love KI! We get our platinum passes every year and also visit more Cedar Fair parks. However, KI will always be my favorite. It has become so much more and so much better since Cedar Fair purchased the park. I highly recommend KI!
Wow. Bigger than Canada's Wonderland. Great lineup. So many similar rides. I would love to visit this park. Fantastic. No crappy coasters here. Pretty neat. Think that this park would get a B&M dive like Yukon Striker? Enjoyed your video. Thank you.
Best reviews ever!!! Perfect Canobie as always!!! I wish you had a Netflix channel cause I'd marathon that. I can't wait for the Kennywood one and Cedar Point one, scratch that......ALL OF EM!!!
"The Bat" aka Top Gun, was always one of my favorites. The line in the 90s and early 2000s was so long sometimes it would go past the official start. At one time it was a very popular ride but has sadly lost its former glory. You're right though. Kings Island at night is a lot of fun. The biggest downfall is the food and drinks prices are so ridiculous.
@@CanobieCoaster it actually had a tie in with the top gun movie. So when you were in line it would actually play a bunch of patriotic stuff and the theme from the movie. The cement wall even had a large logo painted on it. When I was redone as the bat unfortunately a lot of that experience was neutered so now it's just a very boring long walk way
Hi there! I’m going to KI for the first time and wanted to say your review was top notch! You voice also reminds me of Travel King, Rick Steves haha. So soothing. Thank you!
One time me and my cousin got dispatched on the vortex right as the fireworks were about to start. Screaming through that layout with fireworks overhead was something I dont think I'll ever forget!
This park IS the BoSS! Featured on the Partridge Family & Brady Bunch TV series in the 70's. They still loving run their steam trains. Parks in the 70's started to drift away from the train ride defining the parks boarders. KI was the 1st "themed park" to have not one but two wooden roller coasters. The idea was "If" we call the section Coney Island (then we can have a wooden coaster) AstroWorld did the same thing with games of "chance" in the Country Fair section. KI has some really vintage rides as you say feels more like an amusement park. A sense of history like CP & Knott's. I have a "memory" of blue ice cream, but decline to share. LOL!
This is a GREAT PLACE. Excellent staff, very friendly people and I love the place MUCH BETTER than Cedar Point! Terrific video, and WinterFest is a MUST DO EVENT!! The 50th anniversary season celebration was breathtaking and I can't say anything negative about Kings Island. So fortunate to have it here in Ohio!!
Just went to WinterFest the week before 🎄 Christmas. What's there NOT TO LOVE about this park? DELICIOUS dinner in the International Restaurant overlooking International Street with EXCELLENT VIEWS AND SERVICE. Had a WONDERFUL TIME, live 3 hours away from Kings Island and I'm about 45 minutes away from Cedar Point. Kings Island is SOO MUCH BETTER THAN CEDAR POINT in so many ways. And I worked at Cedar Point for 5 seasons. This park is beautiful and Cedar Point has Lake Erie as it's calling card, yet the BAT beats the Iron Dragon (Dragging Iron!), Adventure Express crushes the Mine Ride, Banshee is so much more intense than the Raptor. The Racer actually RACES as opposed to the Gemini as at times doesn't race. The Live "E" at BOTH parks are AMAZING and the Live Entertainment staff and shows are top notch. No surprise that Kings Island was Park of the Year for the IAAPA 2022 Golden Ticket Award. So we'll deserved, as they definitely knocked it out of the park (no pun intended), for the 50th anniversary season. Merchandise was great for this special occasion as was ours at Cedar Point for our 150th season. So fortunate to have this amazing park in Ohio.
This is my sceond favorite Cedar Fair park just behind Cedar Point and was actually one of the vey first parks I ever wanted to visit since I begun showing an interest in visiting more amusement parks in general. It took me until 2015 however to visit for the first and so far only time. What took me by surprise was that Soak City was even busier than the dry park so my advice if you want to hit that is get there as early as possible or be willing to spend extra time there to do everything which shouldn't be a problem if you're spending the whole day at the park.
The last time I visited before my dad passed, the heat index was an all-time Cincinnati record in 2011. It was surreal. My mom, son, niece and I walked on to half the coasters, and got to marathon Beast, Flight Deck, Vortex, and Backlot Stunt Coaster. If you can handle the humidity (this coming from a guy who hates it over 85°), waiting for a hot day is a very good time for coaster enthusiasts.
@@CanobieCoaster In your opinion do you think they might one day make it seperate admission like what Six Flags Great America did ith Hurricane Harbor?
Man this park looks great on Google maps satellite..It is unbelievable..I like seeing the parks on maps and this one looks awesome..I can't wait to visit this beautiful park..
For winterfest most of the flats run and the fountain is turned into a skating rink. And generally this is the best time to ride Flight of "Cheer"(🎄retheme) and Mystic Timbers because the lines can be minimal. Side note Flight of Fear can run until the building is internally 34 degrees F and Mystic Timbers can run until 0 degrees F FYI
You nailed the review. Re: Fast Lane pass, the favorable merge points are the reason I make repeat visits despite living very far away. Every coaster drops you into the station except Bat (no fast lane) and Flight of Fear (don't like, don't care). I last visited on Monday-Tuesday 6/20-6/21/22. Monday was a holiday and most coasters had an hour or more wait, but with Fast Lane nothing (except Bat & Flight of Fear) had a wait of more than 5 minutes. Tuesday crowds were much lighter, but the experience with Fast Lane was the same. With season Fast Lane, it does not matter which day you attend Kings Island: you will have a great time. There are not many parks, including Cedar Point, for which that holds true due to inferior merge points. Food: Miami River Brewhouse is my favorite too, and meal plan eligible. I tried the K.I. Salad first day of this visit. Liked it so much, had it the second day too. The rest of my party had different stuff and everyone enjoyed. The giant pretzels there are a must. Rides: Rode Banshee a half dozen times (favorite B&M Invert). Only experienced 2 of the 3 trains, but no rattle. Beast is pretty smooth now after the track work and still awesome at night. Orion got stuck on top of the lift hill for an hour Monday night, briefly turning the front row into a dive coaster, and they had to push the coaster over the top, then evacuate on final brake run, but it was running smooth the next morning. Don't understand the hate this coaster receives, although I still prefer Diamondback. Ops: Top-notch. 3 trains on all B&M's. Friendly, can-do people with quick dispatches on Diamondback, Orion, Banshee, Mystic Timbers, Beast. They put their less-experienced people on the less-busy rides where efficiency isn't crucial. Fireworks: Lasted 15 minutes Monday night plus they had drones that lit up and made shapes (coasters, Snoopy, spelling out Kings Island, etc) Soak City: The merge points make Fast Lane nearly worthless here. Visited Monday, walked around the park - minimum Fast Lane wait was 35 minutes. Waited 20 minutes for the lazy river, did that, and headed back to the more entertaining dry side of the park. If you've been to a few other major water parks, you've already seen everything Soak City has to offer, except it's not particularly well-run. Overall: Kings Island is not my #1 Cedar Fair park (Cedar Point still king), but I understand the argument from those who see it that way. On a thrill rides/per hour basis with Fast Lane, this park is tough to beat.
Growing up Cedar point was my home park and I now live closer to Kings Island making it my home park and honestly, they have been blowing it out of the water compared to CP lately. Yes CP has iconic rides but the ops, food, and atmosphere at kings island lately has just been far better. I totally agree on Miami River brew house being their best restaurant. Highly recommend trying the nachos next time you visit $11.99 and it can easily feed 2-3 hungry people! There’s also a little patio off the back with a great view of diamond back. Just subbed to your channel, you’ve got some great videos!
I haven’t been there in years and plan on going this summer. Thanks for the tip about riding coasters at night. I’ve never done that and sounds interesting.
Haven't been here since 2017, but just found out it's actually only a four hour drive from Knoxville, where I'm currently going to school. So hopefully I can make it back soon! It's definitely one of the best presentation/atmosphere of any park I've been to. Something about it just felt super special and exciting and grand, even more than somewhere like CP in my opinion.
Visited here a few days in late May, 2023. The KI operations are on another level. Cedar Point, Kentucky Kingdom, Holiday World were all having various ops issues due to staff training. Not Kings Island! All the rides were open, 3-4 trains operating on the major coasters + motivated ride ops. Diamondback crew was dispatching trains within 90 seconds and yelling at each other to pick up the pace. All the workers were super-friendly local people - healthy enough demographics in Mason, OH where they're not forced to recruit internationally like their competitors. Only downsides were Grain & Grill wasn't up to Kings Dominion standards and The Beast, while still running great, isn't as smooth as a year ago after the re-track.
It's just an incredible park. People always tell me that Cedar Point is better, but I always tell them it depends on what you're there for. They both have pros and cons, and I just might have a soft spot for KI.
I grew up with Cedar Point and worked at Cedar Point but much prefer Kings Island over Cedar Point. If I wasn't 3 hours away, I'd be here every day. And I am 45 minutes away from Cedar Point!! The one thing Cedar Point has over Kings Island is the Lake Erie setting.
I grew up about 10 minutes away from the park, and went often. So when I joined the Marines and was stationed in California you can imagine how disappointed I was with Magic Mountain.
From Vekoma, what do you think about the headbanging and the size between: Boomerang over the shoulder restraints SLC over the shoulder restraints Invertigo over the shoulder restraints Giant inverted boomerang over the shoulder restraints
i used to work at KI when i was a teenager over 30yrs ago. grew up about 15 min drive away. By working there I could get in the park for free and so I would go there on my days off especially if it was a little rainy and I would just be able to ride the racer over and over and over because I loved that ride. I personally always rode the backwards racer. there's nothing like roller coaster traveling backwards. I would literally get off the ride and just go right back in line and get right back on t:e next one. EDIT: I used to work at the candy store where they make candied apples and taffy ha ha
WinterFest is really only worth it for passholders, but it's quite nice if you have one. Great time to get in night rides on Mystic Timbers and the park decorates really nicely. The train is fun during WinterFest as well. It's definitely my favorite of the Cedar Fair WinterFests I've been to, even though King's Dominion has my favorite WinterFest ride in Twisted Timbers.
My home park so I'm a bit nitpicky, but KI really needs a couple more flat rides to pug the holes from the removed Tomb Raider & the VFX theater. They need to fill the eyesore that is the former Vortex site. And your totally right about needing more bathrooms!
was there friday and saturday, friday was passholder preview and it was a nightmare. sunday was easter and it was amazing. we had walk ons on orion all day.
I haven’t been to KI since 1997. I’ve been wanting to go back since. no park I’ve been to date can compare. As my kids get older though I regret not giving them the experience. Living in WA state now makes it a smidge hard Lol. One day I will get the whole fam there. Even if they’re all grown by then lol. Considering my kids range from 10 - 21 it’s safe to say it’ll be when they’re all teens/adults lol. They had the Nickelodeon Area last time I was there. Hate to see it gone but looks like an amazing park still. Thanks for the great video ☺️
Every year JDRF does a 3k walk there. Part of the walking route would take you behind the scenes and I remember when I did it it took you underneath Son of the Beast. Looking up at that massive wooden structure was a sight to behold. If you didn't get hit by a falling bolt that is.
Good review. They did add a restroom to Area 72 in 2020, since people were asking for it for over 10 years, and with Orion being added. They need to add more trees and shade to the park. I would love to see them add a new restaurant on International Street, renovate the restrooms on the right side when you come in, and expand the shops outwards in that section, and above them, have a restaurant to overlook International Street there, it would give a new view of the street, and be smaller than the International Restaurant above the entrance, so KI could have 2 that overlook IS, and visitors could have 2 different places to eat with different views, I think this would be very popular, especially during events like Winterfest. It would be a win-win for everyone, new updated restrooms, expanded shops, and a new restaurant.
Ah, now that I think about it, Space Mountain may have been my first ever Roller Coaster. So it’s interesting how even after trying a decent number of Roller Coasters other than it, it still remains my favorite.
Me and my family had a fast pass for one day and that was probably the most fun I’ve had in my life as we got to get straight on rides that had 1-2 hour waits
Kings Island is my number 1 Cedar Fair park and number 2 just behind Hersheypark. I prefer the wooded setting of this park, and I do agree that it is the best run park in the Cedar Fair portfolio. My favorites here are Banshee, Orion, Mystic Timbers, Diamondback, and Beast. The food here is quite good too, with my choice being Coney BBQ.
My only experiences with the Ohio pair of parks (thus far) was back in the 90s, so at the time they were run by different companies. But even under Paramount (which the locals consider a darker time for the park) I felt Kings Island was just a better overall park even with the smaller coaster collection. The collections to be closer to even today than they were then (especially with it looking like Dragster might be kaput - I really regret not getting on that one). Cedar Point runs coasters well too, but there's zero shade in like 70% of the park and despite the location on a peninsula the park just doesn't actually have much in the way of scenery. That's not to say there NONE but Kings Island just more consistently looks better - the only exceptions are Action Zone which is thankfully small and Coney Island, which ironically is the most Cedar Point-like section. Cedar Point is kinda like a massive version of a boardwalk amusement park, but without the charm that it probably used to have more than half a century ago. If it wasn't for the coasters Cedar Point would not be a particularly enjoyable place to visit and that's really a shame. It sounds like they're addressing that to some degree but they still aren't really addressing the biggest issue - it's still basically just a big wide open concrete jungle with way too little shade.
I have finally made it back to the park and all of my original feelings with it remain. It's incredibly well-run and beautiful. But the area around Backlot Stunt is sad and clearly indicative of the half-hearted work Paramount was doing - the ride is well-themed but they cared not what the area surrounding it looked like. That was once a beautiful wooded area.
Yes, go on a weekday, and hope that there is a slight chance of rain in the forecast. The lines are so short on those days. Orion was a walk-on all day on both my days last year. I have lost a couple hours due to lightning on a couple of my days, but the walk-ons when the rides were open made it worth it. I like that they ran everything if it was only rain. Even a Saturday with a chance of rain had short lines. But nice days on the weekends can have crazy long lines. I have loved this park far more than I thought I would. The only downside is no Intamins & no RMC. Even though nothing is absolute top tier for me, I have 5 current coasters ranked fairly close as upper mid-tier rides, and Firehawk & Vortex would fit right in with those as well. That does make for a great overall lineup, plus the excellent operations.
I don't mind rain one bit. I have had to deal with lightning on some visits though, which is the perfect time to ride Flight of Fear IF you can beat everyone over there.
When you're on the beast at night and it's your first time it legit feels like in horror movie in your running from a beast. At least that's what I think
$75-$100 for a Saturday flash pass sounds amazing. I went last Saturday making me first trip to 8 different parks as part of a massive 2-week road trip. I knew I would need the fast lane plus, so I bought it a month or so before the date and it cost $115. The day I was there the cost was $135. Still worth it 100%. The lines were crazy and the only ride I wasn't on one of the next 2 trains was Flight of Fear which still took 10-15 min. I lost count but I got close to 30 rides total. I really just don't get Orion. I mean the first drop is amazing, but other than that it just didn't seem to do a whole lot after that, Diamondback as an overall coaster really felt stronger to me. Orion was a fun ride, but it just seems like a strange choice for KI
The Vortex was a great ride. Probably the toughest coaster in the park besides the legendary Beast. You would leave Vortex sore with bruises lol. The Beast though is absolutely nasty
Cedar Point may be the best amusement park in the entire world But Kings Island is that one Cedar Fair Park that gives their flagship park a run for its money in the Amusement Park industry
Although many enthusiasts liked Invertigo with the forceful and strong inversions, they may bash their heads lightly (especially in the cobra roll transitions) since Invertigo has oversized...
I wish KI would get rid of the sky flyer and sling shot. Its like having seperate carnival rides taking up space. Costing extra money. Another flying coaster would be nice. Like Tatsu where the seats tuck under.
@@CanobieCoaster Yes, but not as comically wet as a boat loaded with adults. Let’s just say when I rode with 3 adults, even the guy in the back was completely soaked.
My cheer team actually performed at kings island like 3 times and actually fun fact, me and 4 other people we're gonna ride white water canyon and we saw some other people in our team who were about to go so when we waited for them so we could ride all ride together and we decided to do a bunch of stunts lol
Hmm interesting that they charge discount price in the morning for the upcharge rides. My guess would be so people see it being ridden to encourage other guests to want to pay to ride.
what gets me a little annoyed is how six flags is treating it. It wasn't even meant to have orion, that was for some amusement park in texas if I remember correctly. Now next year they're adding a family coaster. Don't get me wrong, family coasters can be really good, it's just that most of their rides are pretty much family ones and they only have around 6 standout ones.
Now living 5 minutes from KI with platinum pass and all season fastlane is a continuous pinch me moment.
Nice!
Lucky.
Youre right. Beast at night is absolutely incredible. That second lift hill's gradual drop where it feels like a locomotive building up steam is second to none.
It feels like a pseudo launch with how it builds speed.
@@CanobieCoaster Absolutely 👍👍. First coaster I ever rode and still my favorite.
Hands down one of the best parks in the country. It's actually my #2 park overall behind only Cedar Point. The rides, atmosphere (particularly at night), and operations make this park special. I've also found the staff to be rather friendly, even if they're not on par with Disney or Herschend parks.
I think a lot of people who have visited many Cedar Fair parks say this and Cedar Point are their two favorites.
I prefer Cedar Point, but this park is better run.
@@CanobieCoaster I do too. CP and Kings Island are my top two overall parks
I'd agree if Cedar Point was merely meh in the atmosphere and design department. But I actually think it's bad for much of the park - far too much of it basically feels like Action Zone at KI (by far the worst area of KI). I think that sinks it below KI for me despite the coaster collection.
The staff at Kings Island are ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC IN ALL DEPARTMENTS 😂
When "The Bat" first opened as Top Gun, that ridiculously long ride queue was actually filled. There was a lot of fighter jet theming built into it as well. People were waiting 2+ hours to ride it.
Wow! I can't imagine seeing that filled today.
This was a really heartwarming overview, I was just stoking childhood nostalgia looking up videos of the late Americana park and wondered how King's Island was faring these days. For a while I couldn't think of this place without crippling sadness over how much it must have changed since the Paramount days I grew up with (as much from changes to the park as missing old friends, you know how it goes), but seeing it flourishing here is helping me let go of that. I hope I can go back someday, and that Flight of Fear is still around when I do.
I imagine Flight of Fear will be around for quite some time.
Glad to see someone positive about the Mystic and Adventure Express endings. I don't get why some people act like those things ruin the rides. And yeah, great night rides at the park. You almost have to show up during Haunt to get the full experience.
You're right about the restrooms. They need a regular restroom in the middle of coney mall (or in Area 72, though there is a single family restroom there) and they could use one near the center of the park near the tower. And maybe a couple more.
The end IS Adventure Express!!! Take that away and the adventure part is gone. Plus, my daughter and niece would riot.
If the options were a standard brake run/lift or those themed experiences, I'll pick the latter.
My son and I have platinum passes and by far kings island is the cleanest and friendliest park that we’ve been to. I believe that if they would build either a RMC ground up or a intense multi launch coaster it could propel them to one of they greatest parks in the world. Great videos brother keep them coming!! KI is my home park so I’m probably a little bias!!
Thanks!
Thank you I didn't even know The Bat existed at the time until I did more research of this place and I didn't know where to find it until I saw this video. Thanks again :)
You're welcome! Yeah Bat is hard to find.
The best time for night rides on Mystic Timbers is during Winterfest. It absolutely FLIES in the cold weather, making for the best possible rides all year. To top it off, the Fast Lane line is converted into a free single rider line.
Interesting!
Personally this is my favorite park with a gigantic catch. It’s my home park. For me personally the ride collection isn’t too far off from Cedar Point. The operations and atmosphere at KI push it over the top. It’s very easy to take things slower and hangout with friends than Cedar Point for me at least.
I agree it's less overwhelming.
I'm going for the first time in October and I'm really looking forward to it. I'm 50 and I've never been on a proper roller coaster. When I was a kid I was too scared to go on the now legendary Schwarzkopf Doppel Looping at our county fair. I used to stand there watching my mom marathon it when she took us. I regret it now. I decided I wanted to go to a park to experience some good coasters and have some fun. After some research I picked KI as my destination for a quick long weekend trip. I'm ready to go fast and stuff my face with funnel cakes. Thanks for the great review.
Have fun!
Glad you mentioned the rain. My first 2 coasters were Beast and Vortex as a 10 year old in 1990. At the top of Vortex the skies opened up and heavy rain, lightning, and hail started. It freaking HURT but my brother and I love severe weather and were laughing like maniacs in the front row. At least half the people behind us were bawling when we got off. 😂😂😂 I wished I'd had the money to buy everyone's on-ride pictures afterward. 😭😭😭
Whoa calm down psycho
@@Readyforit7723 I have somewhat in the 3 decades since, sadly.
I love visiting parks in rain...as long as the rides and park stay open.
@@CanobieCoaster yeah it’s really refreshing especially when it’s really hot outside
This is my favorite cedar fair park. The ride and coaster lineup can’t touch cedar point’s top coasters, but I always have a much more fun day at Kings Island. It feels much more manageable and is well loved by locals and well taken care of by park staff.
It's so well-run.
Kings Island roller coasters are BY FAR better than Cedar Point with the exception of the Blue Streak. Adventure Express is better than the Mine Ride, the Bat is better than Draggin Iron, The Racer is better than the Gemini, Banshee is better than Raptor, Diamondback is better than Rougaru and Valravn and Orion is better than Millinneum Force.
@@timothykaczmarek5871 What ab Dragster Maverick and Steel V?
@carsonog333 Dragster sucks. Maverick is fun and Steel Vengeance is intense but not worth an hour wait. The Beast, Mystic Timbers, Diamondback, Orion and The Racer are still soo much better.
I am proud to call Kings Island( along with Kentucky Kingdom and Dollywood) one of my three home parks. It is also one of the reasons why Cincinnati is my favorite city in America.
Kings Island introduced me to my first major roller coaster (Blue Racer Credit 16), my first suspended coaster (Flight Deck/The Bat credit 18), my first suspended coaster (Flying Ace Aerial Chase credit 36), my first launch coaster (Backlot Stunt Coaster credit 37, and my first Hyper coaster (Daimondback credit 39). It is soon to introduce me to my first Boomerang, Invert, and Giga.
One time, the ride ops on Woodstock Express called it Beastie, Scooby Doo, and the Fairly Odd Coaster on three successive dispatches.
For my first ride on Blue Racer, the ride ops let people jump my dad in line so he could race me and my mom.
I have had many fond memories growing up with friends and family, and many more yet to come.
That kiddie coaster has had so many names!
Cincinnati is in Ohio, not Kentucky. As a kid, I grew up going to KI every summer for IBM family weekend, and I now live 90 minutes from Cedar Point. It's nice having access to two amazing parks.
@@ayanadixon4763 I meant to say America and had a brain fart.
I've never had a bad Saturday at KI no matter when I went. You may not get too many rerides, but you can absolutely get them all in and some rerides on a saturday
And also I have to ask why you think there aren't enough bathrooms. Like dude they have plenty of bathrooms and I'm a girl. I never have to wait in a line except up at the front gate. What do you mean?
I've always had good visits.
I worked at Cedar Point in college and each of my 3 kids have worked at least 1 summer at KI. We had season passes for years at KI when the kids were young.
I rode The Beast in its 1st year (1979). Cant' wait to ride it this year's refurbished track!! It's a great park.
I hope the retrack works well.
You post exactly the content I want to see. Great job
Thanks!
I loved being in Kings Island it brings a lot of memories!
Nice!
Orion, Diamondback, or Mystic Timbers could be my #1 here depending on the mood, they're all so good. This is one of my favorite parks but I do have a couple critiques. One is that there doesn't seem to be enough options for food/drinks. Every place was slammed with crowds. Also, I feel like the right side of the park gets overcrowded because they have the majority of their kids attractions all in one spot which happens to be the same path people take to Rivertown.
I like Orion best, but Mystic is a close number two.
Kings Island had one of the strongest food lineups in the Cedar Fair chain up until a few years ago. Since then Cedar Fair has taken food more seriously with a ton of new large restaurants going in everywhere. Kings Island has been left behind as others have caught up. You're right it could use a new one - there's an area near Diamondback's brake run and a foot of the Eiffel Tower (across-ish from the floral clock) that I think could fit a sit down restaurant if they wanted to do it there. There's also the Tomb Raider/Crypt site but I know that's used well for Haunt so maybe not. You could also probably put one in in Coney Island backing up against Backlot Stunt Coaster.
@@Danrarbc I was walking with my friend and pointed out that place as well...it's one of the few sections of the park that really felt empty and awkward.
Great review thanks as always. SO much has changed since I've been there, so many coasters I haven't ridden and even flats. Can't wait to visit again.
Thanks!
While I ultimately prefer Magic Mountain and Cedar Point for their superior coaster collections and Cedar Point's unbeatable location, Kings Island is a phenomenal park. I'm generally more of a theme park fan but I think Kings Island is the park that all amusement parks ought to emulate. It uses the terrain very well without having excessive up hill hikes. The park looks fantastic. The coasters are top notch, as are the thrill rides and flat rides. And where I complain because I think Cedar Point's biggest weakness is that it has boring uninspired queue lines, Kings Island actually has some pretty decent queue lines that make the wait far more bearable.
I agree. It just barely made my top 10 favorite amusement and theme parks.
I prefer Magic and Cedar Point, but Kings Island is better run.
@@CanobieCoaster 100%!
It’s ironic that you prefer Cedar Point as Cedar Fair has stacked the parks that way. If paramount still owned the park, there would be a lot more coasters by now, but the atmosphere would be lacking and it would be dirty.
Kings Island ROCKS IT OUT DEFINITELY!!
I love KI! We get our platinum passes every year and also visit more Cedar Fair parks. However, KI will always be my favorite. It has become so much more and so much better since Cedar Fair purchased the park. I highly recommend KI!
I'm glad the park got better with Cedar Fair.
A bucket list park for sure! Hopefully this year 🤞
Hopefully!
Wow. Bigger than Canada's Wonderland. Great lineup. So many similar rides. I would love to visit this park. Fantastic. No crappy coasters here. Pretty neat. Think that this park would get a B&M dive like Yukon Striker? Enjoyed your video. Thank you.
I would prefer something else since Cedar Point is nearby, but those two parks have added similar coasters before.
Best reviews ever!!! Perfect Canobie as always!!! I wish you had a Netflix channel cause I'd marathon that. I can't wait for the Kennywood one and Cedar Point one, scratch that......ALL OF EM!!!
Thank you! I have playlists though.
@@CanobieCoaster I know, I've seen them toojust saying in case you are making new ones for whats new in the 2022 season 😉
"The Bat" aka Top Gun, was always one of my favorites. The line in the 90s and early 2000s was so long sometimes it would go past the official start. At one time it was a very popular ride but has sadly lost its former glory.
You're right though. Kings Island at night is a lot of fun. The biggest downfall is the food and drinks prices are so ridiculous.
Oh wow!
@@CanobieCoaster it actually had a tie in with the top gun movie. So when you were in line it would actually play a bunch of patriotic stuff and the theme from the movie. The cement wall even had a large logo painted on it. When I was redone as the bat unfortunately a lot of that experience was neutered so now it's just a very boring long walk way
My daughters first big coaster was the bat this year. We have since rode it over 10 times. Such a gem.
Excellent video 😅
Thanks!
Kings Island is freaking amazing!
Sure is.
Hi there! I’m going to KI for the first time and wanted to say your review was top notch! You voice also reminds me of Travel King, Rick Steves haha. So soothing. Thank you!
You're welcome
One time me and my cousin got dispatched on the vortex right as the fireworks were about to start. Screaming through that layout with fireworks overhead was something I dont think I'll ever forget!
Nice!
This park IS the BoSS! Featured on the Partridge Family & Brady Bunch TV series in the 70's. They still loving run their steam trains. Parks in the 70's started to drift away from the train ride defining the parks boarders. KI was the 1st "themed park" to have not one but two wooden roller coasters. The idea was "If" we call the section Coney Island (then we can have a wooden coaster) AstroWorld did the same thing with games of "chance" in the Country Fair section. KI has some really vintage rides as you say feels more like an amusement park. A sense of history like CP & Knott's. I have a "memory" of blue ice cream, but decline to share. LOL!
I remember seeing Racer on the Brady Bunch.
I live 5 minutes away from KI, i'm going tomorrow morning. been 22 times this year already, so much fun
Lucky!
This is a GREAT PLACE. Excellent staff, very friendly people and I love the place MUCH BETTER than Cedar Point! Terrific video, and WinterFest is a MUST DO EVENT!! The 50th anniversary season celebration was breathtaking and I can't say anything negative about Kings Island. So fortunate to have it here in Ohio!!
I prefer Cedar Point, but this park is no slouch and does some things better.
Just went to WinterFest the week before 🎄 Christmas. What's there NOT TO LOVE about this park? DELICIOUS dinner in the International Restaurant overlooking International Street with EXCELLENT VIEWS AND SERVICE. Had a WONDERFUL TIME, live 3 hours away from Kings Island and I'm about 45 minutes away from Cedar Point. Kings Island is SOO MUCH BETTER THAN CEDAR POINT in so many ways. And I worked at Cedar Point for 5 seasons. This park is beautiful and Cedar Point has Lake Erie as it's calling card, yet the BAT beats the Iron Dragon (Dragging Iron!), Adventure Express crushes the Mine Ride, Banshee is so much more intense than the Raptor. The Racer actually RACES as opposed to the Gemini as at times doesn't race. The Live "E" at BOTH parks are AMAZING and the Live Entertainment staff and shows are top notch. No surprise that Kings Island was Park of the Year for the IAAPA 2022 Golden Ticket Award. So we'll deserved, as they definitely knocked it out of the park (no pun intended), for the 50th anniversary season. Merchandise was great for this special occasion as was ours at Cedar Point for our 150th season. So fortunate to have this amazing park in Ohio.
This is my sceond favorite Cedar Fair park just behind Cedar Point and was actually one of the vey first parks I ever wanted to visit since I begun showing an interest in visiting more amusement parks in general. It took me until 2015 however to visit for the first and so far only time. What took me by surprise was that Soak City was even busier than the dry park so my advice if you want to hit that is get there as early as possible or be willing to spend extra time there to do everything which shouldn't be a problem if you're spending the whole day at the park.
The last time I visited before my dad passed, the heat index was an all-time Cincinnati record in 2011. It was surreal. My mom, son, niece and I walked on to half the coasters, and got to marathon Beast, Flight Deck, Vortex, and Backlot Stunt Coaster. If you can handle the humidity (this coming from a guy who hates it over 85°), waiting for a hot day is a very good time for coaster enthusiasts.
This park's water park is quite big. It's bigger than most standalone water parks.
@@CanobieCoaster In your opinion do you think they might one day make it seperate admission like what Six Flags Great America did ith Hurricane Harbor?
Man this park looks great on Google maps satellite..It is unbelievable..I like seeing the parks on maps and this one looks awesome..I can't wait to visit this beautiful park..
It is a great park!
For winterfest most of the flats run and the fountain is turned into a skating rink. And generally this is the best time to ride Flight of "Cheer"(🎄retheme) and Mystic Timbers because the lines can be minimal. Side note Flight of Fear can run until the building is internally 34 degrees F and Mystic Timbers can run until 0 degrees F FYI
That's great information. Thank you!!
Wow that's surprisingly low for Mystic.
@@CanobieCoaster That's how it was designed
You nailed the review. Re: Fast Lane pass, the favorable merge points are the reason I make repeat visits despite living very far away. Every coaster drops you into the station except Bat (no fast lane) and Flight of Fear (don't like, don't care). I last visited on Monday-Tuesday 6/20-6/21/22. Monday was a holiday and most coasters had an hour or more wait, but with Fast Lane nothing (except Bat & Flight of Fear) had a wait of more than 5 minutes. Tuesday crowds were much lighter, but the experience with Fast Lane was the same. With season Fast Lane, it does not matter which day you attend Kings Island: you will have a great time. There are not many parks, including Cedar Point, for which that holds true due to inferior merge points.
Food: Miami River Brewhouse is my favorite too, and meal plan eligible. I tried the K.I. Salad first day of this visit. Liked it so much, had it the second day too. The rest of my party had different stuff and everyone enjoyed. The giant pretzels there are a must.
Rides: Rode Banshee a half dozen times (favorite B&M Invert). Only experienced 2 of the 3 trains, but no rattle. Beast is pretty smooth now after the track work and still awesome at night. Orion got stuck on top of the lift hill for an hour Monday night, briefly turning the front row into a dive coaster, and they had to push the coaster over the top, then evacuate on final brake run, but it was running smooth the next morning. Don't understand the hate this coaster receives, although I still prefer Diamondback.
Ops: Top-notch. 3 trains on all B&M's. Friendly, can-do people with quick dispatches on Diamondback, Orion, Banshee, Mystic Timbers, Beast. They put their less-experienced people on the less-busy rides where efficiency isn't crucial.
Fireworks: Lasted 15 minutes Monday night plus they had drones that lit up and made shapes (coasters, Snoopy, spelling out Kings Island, etc)
Soak City: The merge points make Fast Lane nearly worthless here. Visited Monday, walked around the park - minimum Fast Lane wait was 35 minutes. Waited 20 minutes for the lazy river, did that, and headed back to the more entertaining dry side of the park. If you've been to a few other major water parks, you've already seen everything Soak City has to offer, except it's not particularly well-run.
Overall: Kings Island is not my #1 Cedar Fair park (Cedar Point still king), but I understand the argument from those who see it that way. On a thrill rides/per hour basis with Fast Lane, this park is tough to beat.
Banshee ran great in 2021 after there were very rattly trains in 2019 and 2020. I agree Fast Lane is incredible here.
Growing up Cedar point was my home park and I now live closer to Kings Island making it my home park and honestly, they have been blowing it out of the water compared to CP lately. Yes CP has iconic rides but the ops, food, and atmosphere at kings island lately has just been far better. I totally agree on Miami River brew house being their best restaurant. Highly recommend trying the nachos next time you visit $11.99 and it can easily feed 2-3 hungry people! There’s also a little patio off the back with a great view of diamond back. Just subbed to your channel, you’ve got some great videos!
I can imagine Cedar Point's crowds could make it an annoying place to have as a home park.
After you said 'so rough' on the Son of Beast section I got an KitKat ad and the first thing they said was 'so smooth'.
Lol
I found Vortex and Firehawk very fun and even though I rode those two only once I miss them
They were solid.
I rode them both in my first visit in 2015 but only once. I never would've imagined them getting taken out.
Vortex was my first steel coaster and 2nd overall after Beast as a 10 year old in 1990. I will miss it forever.
I haven’t been there in years and plan on going this summer. Thanks for the tip about riding coasters at night. I’ve never done that and sounds interesting.
Enjoy!
I love these reviews! Keep it up!
Thanks, will do!
This was very helpful. I am going here soon
Haven't been here since 2017, but just found out it's actually only a four hour drive from Knoxville, where I'm currently going to school. So hopefully I can make it back soon! It's definitely one of the best presentation/atmosphere of any park I've been to. Something about it just felt super special and exciting and grand, even more than somewhere like CP in my opinion.
Hopefully! This park definitely feels grand.
Another park I want to visit, looks like a fun place
Indeed it is.
Visited here a few days in late May, 2023. The KI operations are on another level. Cedar Point, Kentucky Kingdom, Holiday World were all having various ops issues due to staff training. Not Kings Island! All the rides were open, 3-4 trains operating on the major coasters + motivated ride ops. Diamondback crew was dispatching trains within 90 seconds and yelling at each other to pick up the pace. All the workers were super-friendly local people - healthy enough demographics in Mason, OH where they're not forced to recruit internationally like their competitors. Only downsides were Grain & Grill wasn't up to Kings Dominion standards and The Beast, while still running great, isn't as smooth as a year ago after the re-track.
Kings Island really has great employees.
It's just an incredible park. People always tell me that Cedar Point is better, but I always tell them it depends on what you're there for.
They both have pros and cons, and I just might have a soft spot for KI.
This one is easier to do everything and ride more at.
I grew up with Cedar Point and worked at Cedar Point but much prefer Kings Island over Cedar Point. If I wasn't 3 hours away, I'd be here every day. And I am 45 minutes away from Cedar Point!! The one thing Cedar Point has over Kings Island is the Lake Erie setting.
I grew up about 10 minutes away from the park, and went often. So when I joined the Marines and was stationed in California you can imagine how disappointed I was with Magic Mountain.
Magic has better coasters, but this park has the better atmosphere and ops.
From Vekoma, what do you think about the headbanging and the size between:
Boomerang over the shoulder restraints
SLC over the shoulder restraints
Invertigo over the shoulder restraints
Giant inverted boomerang over the shoulder restraints
The SLCs are the roughest.
IMO the Bat being off the main path is what makes it so special! A pro not a con in my opinion!
I love the ride experience, but the walk to it is lengthy.
i used to work at KI when i was a teenager over 30yrs ago. grew up about 15 min drive away. By working there I could get in the park for free and so I would go there on my days off especially if it was a little rainy and I would just be able to ride the racer over and over and over because I loved that ride. I personally always rode the backwards racer. there's nothing like roller coaster traveling backwards. I would literally get off the ride and just go right back in line and get right back on t:e next one. EDIT: I used to work at the candy store where they make candied apples and taffy ha ha
Nice!
WinterFest is really only worth it for passholders, but it's quite nice if you have one. Great time to get in night rides on Mystic Timbers and the park decorates really nicely. The train is fun during WinterFest as well. It's definitely my favorite of the Cedar Fair WinterFests I've been to, even though King's Dominion has my favorite WinterFest ride in Twisted Timbers.
I agree it's good if you have a pass and are local.
Rode the beast this year after we had to wait for fireworks and drone show to end so 1030 at night riding was AMAZING
Nice!
@@CanobieCoaster yeah I love cedar point but kings island also is its own thing two equal great parks
My home park so I'm a bit nitpicky, but KI really needs a couple more flat rides to pug the holes from the removed Tomb Raider & the VFX theater. They need to fill the eyesore that is the former Vortex site. And your totally right about needing more bathrooms!
I imagine that Vortex site will get something in due time.
@@CanobieCoaster totally, from the top of Orion you can see some marking flags in the area that weren't there last year
I'm planning a cedar point/kings island trip. 😀 first timer here!
Enjoy!
was there friday and saturday, friday was passholder preview and it was a nightmare. sunday was easter and it was amazing. we had walk ons on orion all day.
At least the final day was quiet.
Knowing when to go is the key to having a good time.
I haven’t been to KI since 1997. I’ve been wanting to go back since. no park I’ve been to date can compare. As my kids get older though I regret not giving them the experience. Living in WA state now makes it a smidge hard Lol. One day I will get the whole fam there. Even if they’re all grown by then lol. Considering my kids range from 10 - 21 it’s safe to say it’ll be when they’re all teens/adults lol. They had the Nickelodeon Area last time I was there. Hate to see it gone but looks like an amazing park still. Thanks for the great video ☺️
You're welcome!
Trust me, it's way, way better than it was in the 90s.
I really need to make a trip there. Just looks like pure fun
It is.
Did you usually like Vekoma boomerangs, Vekoma SLCs, Vekoma invertigos, and Vekoma giant inverted boomerangs?
I usually like invertigos and giant inverted boomerangs.
Every year JDRF does a 3k walk there. Part of the walking route would take you behind the scenes and I remember when I did it it took you underneath Son of the Beast. Looking up at that massive wooden structure was a sight to behold. If you didn't get hit by a falling bolt that is.
That's cool!
Good review. They did add a restroom to Area 72 in 2020, since people were asking for it for over 10 years, and with Orion being added. They need to add more trees and shade to the park. I would love to see them add a new restaurant on International Street, renovate the restrooms on the right side when you come in, and expand the shops outwards in that section, and above them, have a restaurant to overlook International Street there, it would give a new view of the street, and be smaller than the International Restaurant above the entrance, so KI could have 2 that overlook IS, and visitors could have 2 different places to eat with different views, I think this would be very popular, especially during events like Winterfest. It would be a win-win for everyone, new updated restrooms, expanded shops, and a new restaurant.
I'm glad they added a restroom back there. I don't think they had it Orion opening day.
Haven’t been to many theme/amusment parks aside from Disneyland, and Knotts Berry Farm. This one is definitely one of those on my bucket list.
Oh, there was also Santa Cruz beach boardwalk. Quite small compared to Disney and Knotts, but still a fun time.
Those are two awesome parks. Disneyland is my favorite.
@@CanobieCoasterDisneyland in particular really is a very nice place.
My favorite ride there is consistently Space Mountain.
Ah, now that I think about it, Space Mountain may have been my first ever Roller Coaster. So it’s interesting how even after trying a decent number of Roller Coasters other than it, it still remains my favorite.
Me and my family had a fast pass for one day and that was probably the most fun I’ve had in my life as we got to get straight on rides that had 1-2 hour waits
Fast Lane works well here.
Does the suspended family coaster at Kings Island have good trackwork or flawed trackwork?
Flying Ace doesn't track the best.
Kings Island is my number 1 Cedar Fair park and number 2 just behind Hersheypark. I prefer the wooded setting of this park, and I do agree that it is the best run park in the Cedar Fair portfolio. My favorites here are Banshee, Orion, Mystic Timbers, Diamondback, and Beast. The food here is quite good too, with my choice being Coney BBQ.
I agree it is a strong park.
I consider Kings Island my home park even though I live closer to Kentucky Kingdom. It's just so fun every time you go
It's a great park.
Do you like flying ace aerial Chase, the Vekoma suspended family coaster at Kings Island? why?
No, it is shaky.
My only experiences with the Ohio pair of parks (thus far) was back in the 90s, so at the time they were run by different companies. But even under Paramount (which the locals consider a darker time for the park) I felt Kings Island was just a better overall park even with the smaller coaster collection. The collections to be closer to even today than they were then (especially with it looking like Dragster might be kaput - I really regret not getting on that one).
Cedar Point runs coasters well too, but there's zero shade in like 70% of the park and despite the location on a peninsula the park just doesn't actually have much in the way of scenery. That's not to say there NONE but Kings Island just more consistently looks better - the only exceptions are Action Zone which is thankfully small and Coney Island, which ironically is the most Cedar Point-like section. Cedar Point is kinda like a massive version of a boardwalk amusement park, but without the charm that it probably used to have more than half a century ago.
If it wasn't for the coasters Cedar Point would not be a particularly enjoyable place to visit and that's really a shame. It sounds like they're addressing that to some degree but they still aren't really addressing the biggest issue - it's still basically just a big wide open concrete jungle with way too little shade.
I agree Cedar Point doesn't have the most shade, but fortunately most queue lines have some sort of covering.
I have finally made it back to the park and all of my original feelings with it remain. It's incredibly well-run and beautiful. But the area around Backlot Stunt is sad and clearly indicative of the half-hearted work Paramount was doing - the ride is well-themed but they cared not what the area surrounding it looked like.
That was once a beautiful wooded area.
THE NUMBER 2 GOAT OF CEDAR FAIR PARKS
It's up there.
Yes, go on a weekday, and hope that there is a slight chance of rain in the forecast. The lines are so short on those days. Orion was a walk-on all day on both my days last year. I have lost a couple hours due to lightning on a couple of my days, but the walk-ons when the rides were open made it worth it. I like that they ran everything if it was only rain. Even a Saturday with a chance of rain had short lines. But nice days on the weekends can have crazy long lines.
I have loved this park far more than I thought I would. The only downside is no Intamins & no RMC. Even though nothing is absolute top tier for me, I have 5 current coasters ranked fairly close as upper mid-tier rides, and Firehawk & Vortex would fit right in with those as well. That does make for a great overall lineup, plus the excellent operations.
I don't mind rain one bit. I have had to deal with lightning on some visits though, which is the perfect time to ride Flight of Fear IF you can beat everyone over there.
This is my favorite park of all time, I live less than 2 hours away and go every year during Halloween.
Nice! I want to visit for Haunt one year so I have extended time for night rides.
When you're on the beast at night and it's your first time it legit feels like in horror movie in your running from a beast. At least that's what I think
It's so eerie.
im going for one day on august 28th, do you think i'll need a fast pass? we'll be their from open to close
Depends on the weather, but if it's clear it may be. And it'll get you on most rides in a flash.
I have 2 questions
1. What rides don’t go upside down I don’t like that
2. What rides will give me the thrill of free falling
Drop Tower and Intimidator 305 give freefall sensations and don't go upside down.
I miss it, I used to work there... hurts my heart that I now live a long ways away...
The employees here have always been amazing.
@@CanobieCoaster does that include 5 years ago 😅
I'm spending 2 days here in July! I'm so hyped
Enjoy!
$75-$100 for a Saturday flash pass sounds amazing. I went last Saturday making me first trip to 8 different parks as part of a massive 2-week road trip. I knew I would need the fast lane plus, so I bought it a month or so before the date and it cost $115. The day I was there the cost was $135. Still worth it 100%. The lines were crazy and the only ride I wasn't on one of the next 2 trains was Flight of Fear which still took 10-15 min. I lost count but I got close to 30 rides total. I really just don't get Orion. I mean the first drop is amazing, but other than that it just didn't seem to do a whole lot after that, Diamondback as an overall coaster really felt stronger to me. Orion was a fun ride, but it just seems like a strange choice for KI
I'm not surprised they'd raise the price.
Their operations are emaculate!!...I have CP as my fave park..BUT last year...I had waaaaaaay more fun at KINGS than CP due to the operations alone.
Kings Island's operations are top notch.
At Kings Island, what do you think about Racer and Invertigo?
Solid
This is my home park, and whenever I ride Bat I just hear the dream speedrun music as I'm walking down there
It's always a hike over there.
I’m hadn’t on the 5th of august. Guess it’s time to catch up on ki reviews
Have fun!
I have this saved on my computer to watch later after work but is the beast open now after the retrack?
The Beast has not reopened yet.
@@CanobieCoaster Do you know when it is expected to?
@@MandJGames I believe I saw a sign at the park saying around May 28th or something late may.
@@TJ85234 Awesome! I think I will be there the second week in June. Thank you!
@@MandJGames its open early. Opened sunday.
What are the ride wait times compared to cedar point?
They can get long here too, but I find you're likely to find more quiet days sprinkled in.
I haven’t been here since 2017 so I still need to do Orion
It's my new favorite there.
The Vortex was a great ride. Probably the toughest coaster in the park besides the legendary Beast. You would leave Vortex sore with bruises lol. The Beast though is absolutely nasty
I prefer Beast.
The jerk on the second lift hill was smoothed out on the beast. So it’s even more enjoyable than before.
Cool!
@@CanobieCoaster yeah. I used to not ride it bc I hated the jerk, but it’s been smoothed out!
Hella baddies there, I was there Friday-Sunday last week
Nice!
Cedar Point may be the best amusement park in the entire world But Kings Island is that one Cedar Fair Park that gives their flagship park a run for its money in the Amusement Park industry
This is a great park, but I prefer Cedar Point.
@@CanobieCoaster I don't blame you Considering I've been to Cedar Point 3 times in 2019, 2021 & 2022 and I would LOVE to make it #4 for Cedar Point
This park would be great with a Top Scan type flat ride either the normal one or the one at Knotts Berry Farm
I love those flats.
Although many enthusiasts liked Invertigo with the forceful and strong inversions, they may bash their heads lightly (especially in the cobra roll transitions) since Invertigo has oversized...
OTSRs
1:31 you said 2016 didn’t you😂
Guilty, best edit I could make with the live video.
Adventure express has a crazy ending 😂
It's quite funny.
I wish KI would get rid of the sky flyer and sling shot. Its like having seperate carnival rides taking up space. Costing extra money. Another flying coaster would be nice. Like Tatsu where the seats tuck under.
I don't mind the upcharge attractions like that since Kings Island has plenty of room to expand.
If I ask you, would you like to go to Kings Island again? Canobie Coaster would say...
Yes, it's a fantastic park.
The drop on Race For Your Life Charlie Brown is an absolute soaker if you get the loaded down with 3 or more adults. Everyone will get soaked.
Even in a lightly loaded boat, Snoopy guarantees you come off soaked.
@@CanobieCoaster Yes, but not as comically wet as a boat loaded with adults. Let’s just say when I rode with 3 adults, even the guy in the back was completely soaked.
My cheer team actually performed at kings island like 3 times and actually fun fact, me and 4 other people we're gonna ride white water canyon and we saw some other people in our team who were about to go so when we waited for them so we could ride all ride together and we decided to do a bunch of stunts lol
Cool!
My home park I love it so much and a great water park
It really is!
@@CanobieCoaster I that the water park gets new slides soon and a vortex replacement that is a dive wing launch or rmc
I cannot agree with you more on the ending of Adventure express!
It's so weird.
Atleast it's all working now lol
Hmm interesting that they charge discount price in the morning for the upcharge rides. My guess would be so people see it being ridden to encourage other guests to want to pay to ride.
Maybe!
what gets me a little annoyed is how six flags is treating it. It wasn't even meant to have orion, that was for some amusement park in texas if I remember correctly. Now next year they're adding a family coaster. Don't get me wrong, family coasters can be really good, it's just that most of their rides are pretty much family ones and they only have around 6 standout ones.
Orion was meant for California's Great America, but it was moved due to costs ballooning.
@@CanobieCoaster yeah I proofread myself later and realized I was wrong, didn't feel like changing it lol
What was the best ride you've ever experienced at Kings Island and what was the worst ride you've ever experienced at Kings Island?
Orion is the best. Flying Ace is probably my least favorite ride there.