Kings Island (KI) Discussion Thread

40th anniversary. Sigh.

Well, many were less than impressed up north at CW with Windseeker as our 30th anniversary attraction. Just look at what we're getting for our 31st... Anniversaries really mean nothing in terms of major new attractions.

I think if the waterpark needed improving then there's no stopping them. There's no point waiting another year so something better can come at a certain time when things need fixing now.

^^I honestly think park pages are some of the worst things on that entire site. It's absolutely insane on there. And I can't imagine being the marketing guy who has to deal with it all.

They've also promised sand volleyball courts and more shade with Boomerang Bay...and that didn't happen haha. It also looks like they will have to remove parking spots. So, not sure how that's going to help, if that's what will actually happen.

Okay, the announced the "Action River" will be 2,000ft long. So I believe that will be longer than the existing one. Still, with The Beach Waterpark right across the street; who already has a bigger wavepool with bigger waves AND better "action/anti lazy rivers" I'm a bit confused. The waterpark needed cleaning up and this is a step; but they have bigger issues at hand in the park, park. I was expecting new slides. Like I said, aside from the 2004 additions...the rest are old and very bland, and you can find any other slide at any other park. Hopefully they will clean up the old slides some, because all the body slides are painful.

I don't think I've ever been in the wavepool before haha. As long as it brings more people in to spend nickles! ...to put towards a new coaster. In the end, for friends my age and I, we don't have anything to go to Kings Island for aside from Diamondback, Drop Tower, or Halloween Haunt.

Kings Island to double size of water park

The Kings Island amusement park in Mason announced a major expansion at its Boomerang Bay water park, changing its name to Soak City.

 

Kings Island, which is owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment said it will add 3,000 square feet to its wave pool and make enhancements to its volley ball courts and lawn areas. It also will add 1,000 lounge chairs, more shaded areas for pool-goers and new family dressing rooms. The new improvements will be ready for the 2012 season, the park said.

 

The water park expansion is the latest enhancement at Kings Island, located just north of Cincinnati. The park this year added a swing attraction called Windseeker and the Dinosaurs Alive animatronic dinosaur park.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2011/09/02/kings-island-to-double-size-of-water.html

More info on the park's website here:

http://www.visitkingsisland.com/public/park/soakcity/2012/index.cfm

While I am not a waterpark person, it's nice to see them continue to spend money on this park. One thing that I find odd, is that I was at a q&a a few years ago, and was told that they could not expand the waterpark due to the power lines that were there. I don't recall the lines being moved when I was there a few months back, but this could change between now and 2012.

A Question I have is, "is this something that was needed?" I mean the waterpark was a decent size as is, and there is the beach waterpark just around the block.

Although I wish the expansion could of came with a new slide, I'm very excited! I may not be the biggest water park fan, but Boom..Ugh, I mean Soak City is very popular (Actually most water parks that come with park admission are), so this definitely will bring in a LOT of money!

I'll start off with the entrance, it looks very welcoming and permanent, where the Boomerang Bay entrance looked cheap and temporary. The new wave pool is HUGE! I know Great Barrier Reef is always packed, so this will be nice to have two options! I am most excited for Action River. In 2008 I went to Schlitterbahn Galveston, they have "Torrent River", and it is INTENSE! Seriously, if Action River is anything like it, you will spend probably half your time in it! Lastly, anyone notice the new path leading to Snowy River Rampage? I was thinking it may have been an error, but part of the new Action River is that non-swimmers can interact, probably meaning shoot water. Just like White Water Canyon, this will probably have a new viewing platform on the new path leading the Snowy River Rampage. This path will be highly appreciated by me considering SRR is my favorite slide in the park, I will no longer have to walk up/down the steep stairs that have leaves all over them!

I'm very impressed with this announcement, and I can not wait to visit next summer at Soak City-the fun and only (in Southern Ohio)

I think this looks great and was definitely needed.

The amount of bitching on the FB page is unbelievable. Anyway, I always like when thrill parks round out their collection of non-coasters, and this could make more people buy park tickets to get free waterpark admission, so I like this move.

Based on the website it appears the Action River is a make over of the current lazy river, not a new "addition."

I guess I'm indifferent about this decision. I'm not a big fan of water parks so I can't really complain.

Diamondback rough? What, are you made of glass crystal or sugar cubes? I finally made it to this park I'd heard about for decades. Mmmm, how to say this without coming across as obnoxious? Pretty much everything at the park failed to live up to the hype other than the recent B&M hyper.

Beast was long but not particularly memorable (or rough, thank goodness). Flight of Fear is chaotic goodness, although it's the roughest of the spaghetti bowls I've tried. KD's wasn't nearly as painful. With OSTRs, it'd kill its riders. Vortex = putrid. Ninja at SFStL delivered a better ride. I'll give it up for your Vekoma flier however - not half bad, liked it - and Flight Deck, one of the better suspendeds still breathing. Racer wasn't racing - boo. The Crypt? Don't get me started!

But DB? Ahh, sweetness! And that was with a destroyed ribcage. My 6-4 14-year old lummox head-butted me the day prior on The Legend at Holiday World. Back car, no problem, plenty o' air, and let me tell you, it hurt to breathe that day.

So... from this outsider's view you have a solid large park, but it lacks in epic modern headliners. The only ride I'd return for is DB, and despite that cool splashdown, Nitro or Apollo's Chariot are both better. I'm sure from a GP standpoint you needed a shot in the waterpark, but yeah, too bad the dry side will have to wait for a while. Too close to CP I think...

I just researched Kings Island's history and they certainly haven't had a history of marking big anniversary years with big additions.

1982 (10th year) - Timberwolf Amphitheater opens, one side of Racer is turned backwards, Viking Fury opens, and several additions are to made to Hanna Barbera Land.

1992 (20th year) - Phantom Theater opens

2002 (30th year) - Tomb Raider opens

I knew it would be a matter of time before KI gets its much needed larger wave pool. At this point this is a good move by Cedar Fair (did I just say that?) and it's also good to know that there will no longer be Paul Hogan's voice saying "Welcome to the Awesome Aussie Twister" while waiting on the train.

...and it's also good to know that there will no longer be Paul Hogan's voice saying "Welcome to the Awesome Aussie Twister" while waiting on the train.

That's it, I'm definetly not renewing my pass now.

Does anyone else think the days of the waterpark being free with admission may be numbered? With the new upgraded entrance and everything, might it be going the route of Cedar Point and their Soak City?

I wouldn't pay extra admission for the KI water park because is lacks a couple of really good slides.

CPs Soak City has at least the racing multi drop slide which may be old but still kicks ass!

A bigger wave pool is still just a wave pool which most people will probably only use when they have to take a ...

Kings Island really needs another major coaster, something like Ispeed, a Diving Machine, Inverter etc.

I was not expecting a coaster, so I'm not disappointed, but only a wave pool? Don't get me wrong, there nice, but I would of hoped for a couple of slides with this expansion.

Tear down SoB and Adventure Express. Add a B&M Floorless and Invert in their places, and I would never complain about King's Island again.

^ I think Adventure Express is a great mine ride. Plus there's theming, why tear down a decent ride? Plenty of room at the park for expansion without tearing down Adventure Express.

^I agree--Adventure Express is fun. However, SOB deserves the wrecking ball.

It's sad to see that Boomerang Bay no longer is free, hopefully they won't to do it to the other Cedar Fair parks that have free waterpark admission.

EDIT: Got mixed up in website, they were talking about Gold Passes and early admission, though at first I thought it meant that only Gold Passes will go through with free admission.

It's sad to see that Boomerang Bay no longer is free, hopefully they won't to do it to the other Cedar Fair parks that have free waterpark admission.

Soak City with be free next year.

^ I think Adventure Express is a great mine ride. Plus there's theming, why tear down a decent ride? Plenty of room at the park for expansion without tearing down Adventure Express.

I somewhat agree. A lot of the of eyes aren't lit on the guards in that tunnel. Hell, last time I rode it back in 09, three of them weren't even working. But the soundtrack and ancient structures altogether are nice.

For as long as I remember though, the ride has and always been rough. I always have a headache every time I get off that ride. Worse then SoB even with all the sudden jerks. I know I'm in the minority when it comes to these kinds of things, so I don't work myself up over this.

Adventure Express is one of the better mine trains. It's a bit jerky in parts but it's fun. It's also one of the few rides that uses its terrain to its advantage. You couldn't relocate it to another park.

Adventure Express was fun, and I agree with the statements about it being one of the better mine trains. Most of the Arrow mine trains are pretty tame and boring, even by family coaster standards. Although, that guard tunnel is a huge letdown if you've never ridden it before. I was expecting there to be some drop for a finale, but no, it was just the brake run.

With the awesome line up Kings Island has, a water park expansion seemed lie one of the most needed additions from my visit. The dry side has an awesome line up of rides, but the water park is on the small side with nothing to stand out, especially with another water park just down the road. This addition will be great in expanding the one area of the park that looked like it could use some help.

At first, I didn't ride Adventure Express because I didn't know what it was and didn't feel like finding out. After I went on it, I now have to make sure I ride it every trip. It's actually a pretty fun ride.

Kings Island does need to update their water park. The only thing that I am upset about is the fact that they are renaming it to Soak City. Why name it the same name that many of the other Cedar Fair water parks? It's just another thing that I think they are doing to NOT want to show variety in their parks (along with 6 Windseekers and 3 Dinosaurs Alive as of next year).

I do think this is a good move for Kings Island besides the rename to Soak City... I would have chose "Wildwater Kingdom" (what Dorney uses) or something different from Cedar Point's waterpark.