Park Review
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Kings Mills, Ohio
The Place: Paramount's Kings Island I do not know what it is, but this park has a definite hold on me. The interesting thing, as many have noted, is that it does not have any of my favorite, top tier (or whatever you want to call them) coasters. I think the thing that keeps drawing me back to Paramount's Kings Island is the fact that it is honestly one of the few larger parks I have been to where I get smiles from the employees, see little trash and do not encounter too much TPM (theme park mentality) on a very consistent basis. I was driving north and a sight I have grown to love, the blinking lights atop Drop Zone and the Eiffel Tower, serve as the first hints of the playland that is Kings Island. Sonny, Vortex and a few other rides appeared visible as I got to the exit that ushers guests into the parking lot. I paid $7 for parking, something like $40 to get in (I tried to buy tickets online for a discount earlier in the week but the website would not let me because it kept timing out) and met some friends. We quickly headed over to a coaster I anticipated (am I actually saying this???): Flight of Fear. One thing they need to work on is the sign ushering guests over, as it says �Flight of Fear� in a small, angled script (I believe the Outer Limits logo used to be above it). Anyway, I heard Paramount�s Kings Dominion re-did their sign, so PKI needs to jump on it. Passing under the last-bunny-hop-less Racer, we entered the queue, which was empty until we reached the loading area itself. Only one train was running, so it was about ten minutes until I stepped in the last car. It is a little comfy, but still light years ahead of the OTSRs. A bulky lap bar similar to Sonny�s is lowered and a snap ensures the lap bar is down. The countdown began, my arms went in the air and off we went. The acceleration was fun and the first two inversions (akin to a cobra roll) were a touch jerky, but no reason to put the hands down. I could appreciate the track design much more now that I can actually see the transitions and layout. But folks, the real story here is the fact that the block brake barely kisses the train (in fact, if I was not with experienced riders, I would have said it was off). The ride now tears through the second half, sashaying through the course and flying into the last corkscrew. When we came into the station, I was so disoriented that I believed we were still on our side when, in fact, we were ready to unload. I never thought I would say this, but Flight of Fear is now one of my favorite steel coasters and very fun for me to ride. Kudos for Paramount for showing what Anton did 25 years ago, you are safe with lapbars only on a looping coaster. Case closed. Let's hope other industry leaders follow suit. We stopped by Action Zone next, getting a ride on my favorite style of Vekoma coaster, Invertigo (here called Face/Off). I grabbed a ride in the front seat (about 15-minute wait) and it was fun, as always. I really enjoy the first drop through the station and the way you seem to go really high up on that tower before getting released backwards. I can't imagine this seat on a Super-Invertigo. That SOB was calling us next and, of course, we obliged. The wait was just out of the station but went rather quickly. I snuggled into 6.2 (yes, snuggled because they raised the floor this year) and pulled the lapbar down. The drop down and out to the lift is neat and helps set the intimidation factor high as you gaze up that steep lift hill and see the even steeper first drop to your left. After going up the loudest lift around, we crested, enjoyed seemingly more airtime than last year on the first drop, turned into one of the best helixes around (and were slowed by the brake), pulled some nice g's in the loop, rattled through the second helix, rolled over the airtime-less airtime hill, into the breaks and hit the worst part of the ride, a loud screech on the turn between the brakes and the station. Today Sonny went up a few notches in my book, but overall is still not in my top tier of coasters. It remains second in my list of woodies at Kings Island, behind Racer but in front of Beast and Beastie. The granddaddy of coasters ushered us into the Racer queue, where we went forwards in the red train. This would be much better ride if it got a new coat of paint and those brakes were taken off the turn around. it operated fine for a long time without them, why add them when they have altered Allen's design enough, anyway? (I guess the problems here pale in comparison to that Beast fellow over in Rivertown.). I still respect John Allen for the great coasters he made, combining architecturally graceful lines with a fun coaster. It�s still my favorite wooden coaster in the park (yes, I know I am a bird of a different feather, but that just means there is one less person in front of you for Beast.) The kids section of the park called us next so I could ride the park's newest addition, Runaway Reptar. It is (I believe) blocked like Woodstock's Express to operate two trains, but the park only bought one. There is a nice Paramount logo on the front of the sun visor. While the restraints seemed more comfortable than its older brother in Action Zone, the seats were not; I think they were simply molded plastic. The ride delivers a nice punch for a kiddie coaster with a fun foot chopper on the roof of the station. There is also a large, rather disgruntled-looking dinosaur out in front of the queue that looks to be smashing into a drive-inn theatre. PKI did a great job of theming in their new area, and I hope they reap the benefits they deserve because they improved on their wonderful children's area. I stopped and took pictures of some of the children's area's older rides. I am kicking myself for never noticing on my two previous trips a children's Tumble Bug (Traver), a kiddie whip (Mangels) and hand cars. I am guessing the Tumble Bug was moved from Coney, as the park had an adult Tumble Bug that was close to the Shooting Star. It was painted nicely, as was the kiddie whip that ran in a nice little pen. The only other place I have seen the hand cars is at Camden. What a great way to make sure those little balls of energy get a work out before the car ride home. :) On our way out, we stopped at Phantom Theatre and I enjoyed my first ride on this unique dark ride. It was fun. I still like Disney�s & Knoebels� better, but PKI�s is better done than most dark rides out there, and I love these because I catch something new every time. The hour of lunch came upon us, and we meandered over to Coney Mall so I could enjoy my first experience with Skyline Chili. I believe it cost me around $5 for a soda and ample helping of chili, cheese, spaghetti & onions, so I could not complain in any way. The chili was wonderful for theme park food. There was a nice pavilion behind the stand (over in Coney Mall), so we watched the antique cars roll by and heard the carousel spinning dreamily not far away. Vortex called us next. Despite the Arrow transitions, I still enjoy this coaster a lot. I will still stand by the assertion that if Arrow had put an inversion-less drop at the beginning of all of their mega-loopers, they would have been much more enjoyable, as the coasters would have burned off some energy instead of going into those tiny loops right off the bat. The first hill still gives a great view of the area, and the corkscrews are so fun because of the height above the ground. This ride still desperately needs a new coat of paint. We walked through Rivertown and back into the kid's area, taking a ride on the new flume. The queue was full today, so I cannot imagine how it is going to be during the summertime. The theming is great (I think the kids will love this), with a shack of dynamite, a snake and various gourds greeting riders throughout the course. The flume ran faster and bumpier than anything else I have been on, but was a nice trip through the woods. I did notice "HOPKINS" written on the trough in three places (I wonder if they will ever paint over the trough?). The water was also the cleanest I have ever seen in a flume. I am guessing because it was so new. The railroad was close by, so we took a spin and saw the waterpark and all the old buildings where people used to shoot at the train. A nice relaxing trip through the woods, but no signs of construction on the 2002 attraction (besides Kenton's being fenced in). After another ride on Phantom Theater, I headed to the front to get some film, and then it was over to the Eiffel Tower. We were stuck up top for quite a while as it was very windy, and I think they shut it down. The rig was now working on Drop Zone, and we headed back over to the Action Zone. What can I say? This thing still intimidates me. It is still strange to drop with forty other people as opposed to four or twelve. I still hate it when the rig passes the top of the skycoaster and you realize there is still about 80 feet to go. Then you look seemingly straight out and see the Eiffel Tower. The drop (IMHO) is still one of the best out there, especially the way the ring pushes down a huge gust of wind as it flies down. I tried out the 7th Portal, the new Stan Lee simulation. Ho-hum. I had never done the Days of Thunder or James Bond simulation, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I still do not like simulators that much (Spiderman and BTTF are the only ones I will get in line for again). For me, the very real fears of height and falling on a coaster are much more exhilarating than being shaken back and forth in a fake world with fake characters. I am glad the park has it, as the GP seems to like it (and there is a nice view of the famous spilt on the Racer's track), but I cannot see myself heading back there for some time. On our way back to the main plaza, we took a spin in the front seat of Adventure Express, which I actually enjoyed more than the back. I still like this ride a ton until the final lift is reached and an anti-climatic finish ensues. I mealed on some LaRosa's pizza for dinner and, like lunch, it was much better than your average theme park fare. Sonny called next, so I took a spin in 6.3 and enjoyed some nice g's in the helix and loop. I honestly could not tell a big difference between a wheel seat and the middle seats on the train. I was going to take a ride on Top Gun, but the train was stopped on the lift. So I walked down Coney, catching a ride in the middle of FOF, the carousel (taking time to take in the beautiful PTC horses and the gorgeous structure) and hiked back to the flyers. Here I debated whether I should took one ride on the Beast or three on the flyers, and the later won out. What can I say? The Beast still has not gotten its claws into me like it has other people, and I just don't enjoy it that much. (Granted, I have never gotten a brakeless ride, but I still enjoy airtime more than speed and still would take the Raven as an in-the-dark terrain coaster over the Beast any day of the week and twice on Sunday). I got three rides in on the flyers, with the first one getting the most snappage. There was a lot of wind that night, and I always snap better when winds are just barely noticeable. On the way out, I took another spin on the carousel, enjoyed the quiet ambiance around it broken only by the organ. As I exited, I walked up International Street as some quiet music played and the light danced in and out of the fountains and around the shadows of doorways. As I feel myself continually pulled to more traditional parks, Kings Island shows that without one of my top coasters and without a detailed flat ride collection, they can bring me back with a clean, polite and well-kept ambiance time and time again.
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