Kentucky Kingdom (SFKK, KK) Discussion Thread

I explain it as you're not getting punched in the head anymore, your whole body now takes the brunt of it.

^Or is it one of these moments?

It was announced on the news this morning that KK and all pools can open on June 29th with restrictions.

Quick question:

 

I know T3 has newish trains with different restraints. Is the ride still as bad as any other SLC?

 

It's definitely not AS bad as SLC's with the old restraints, in that the side-to-side headbanging is eliminated. But the trains still don't track well, so you'll still be tossed and shuffled around, and the lap restraint gets tighter and tighter throughout the course, making the brake-run quite uncomfortable.

What he said. It does seem to be a matter of opinion, but I consider it as bad or worse because of the tightening restraints.

The park has confirmed a June 29th Opening Day.

Quick question:

 

I know T3 has newish trains with different restraints. Is the ride still as bad as any other SLC?

 

It's definitely not AS bad as SLC's with the old restraints, in that the side-to-side headbanging is eliminated. But the trains still don't track well, so you'll still be tossed and shuffled around, and the lap restraint gets tighter and tighter throughout the course, making the brake-run quite uncomfortable.

 

What he said. It does seem to be a matter of opinion, but I consider it as bad or worse because of the tightening restraints.

Honestly, I find T3's trains worse than standard SLCs. Growing up riding Kong at SFDK, I got pretty good at bracing so that I could ride without hitting my head too badly, but I don't see any way I can ride T3 and not get hurt. Every time I've ridden T3, I've felt hurt the rest of the day.

The park has confirmed a June 29th Opening Day.

Nice of the park to honor current passholders with extending into the 2021 season as well!

Full news release

Louisville, Kentucky, May 29, 2020: Kentucky Kingdom has lowered its admission prices for the upcoming season. General admission tickets are now $29.95. Season passes, which include free parking and many in-park discounts, are now priced at only $49.95. Season passes and general admission tickets are now available online at kentuckykingdom.com.

 

Concerning the 15,000 guests who have already purchased their 2020 season passes, Ed Hart, President and CEO said, “We are especially grateful to our loyal season pass holders who have been so patient as we awaited notice from the Governor’s task force on reopening the park. We want to thank these pass holders for their patience by honoring their “early bird” season passes not only for the 2020 season, but for the 2021 season as well.”

The 2-day discount for enthusiasts with free drinks still works too: https://kentuckykingdom.com/ilovecoasters

So does that mean Beech bend can also open?

A very good question. They have a statement on social distancing once opened too, but nothing said on when they can. https://www.beechbend.com/amusement-park/park-hours/

We plan on making up for lost time by adding more open days in August if school calendars permit us to do so. We will be announcing more value-added benefits for season pass holders when we are given an official opening date. For season pass holders that choose not to use their season pass in 2020, the pass will automatically be rolled over to 2021.

I don't plan on ever riding T3 again. Ever. Sitting on that brake run, thinking my legs were about to be severed from my body is still very present on my mind. So while not having my head beat around was nice, ultimately, the coaster was still a disaster, from my standpoint. My oldest kid feels the same way. I've told my younger two kids that when we go this year (assuming we do), that they're on their own if they want to ride it to get the credit!

It's funny. I tend to have a very low pain threshold, yet all these coasters that people say are very painful I have never felt any pain from. The only coasters I've actually felt pain from were Green Lantern at Great Adventure and Mind Eraser at Six Flags New England. I actually rode T3 a few times when I went to Kentucky Kingdom a few years ago and quite enjoyed it.

I have no experience on T3. I purposely avoid it when I visit the park. I am not that big of a credit whore I need to put my body through torture just for a credit. I've ridden enough Vekoma SLCs of that time period in Vekomas history to know what kind of ride experience I will get.

I did really enjoy the one that was at GL, commonly considered the best one of the era. I also really enjoyed the re-tracked Nor'easter at Morey's. Other than those two rides I have not had a good experience on any other one.

That said, please bring new Vekoma to the States! Someone, anyone! I would even be okay if KK wanted to let Vekoma re-track T3 like they did with the Nor'Easter.

I prefer the T3 trains to the standard SLC trains since they do eliminate headbanging, but the ride is still awful because of how poorly it tracks and shakes you around. For me personally, the issue with T3 is how it tracks as opposed to the trains.

T3 really isn't as bad as enthusiast make it out to be. It is way better now than with the old restraints. GP love the ride and praise the intensity, which is why you will find that it usually has the longest line in the park even with the fastest ops (besides Kentucky Flyer) of the coasters. I am willing to bet though that the park would not go with the Kumbak and instead with the new generation Vekoma restraints. I agree it is not the best coaster but I don't believe it deserves as much hate as it gets.

Counterpoint: F*ck that ride. Possibly the worst SLC ever.

Guests eat that coaster up. It constantly has a long line in the afternoon, even before it went to 1 train ops last season. It's one of the most popular rides in the park, likely because it's the biggest, fastest, and loopiest roller coaster in the park.

It also runs 14 passenger trains.

With arguably the fastest train cycling of any coaster (before Kentucky Flyer) in the park. Even when Storm Chaser was running one and T3 was at two trains, its dominant location at the back of the water park makes it a hot target.

Of course, the moment a train was taken off for a whole season, that unfortunately threw that out of the window.

I'm not saying it's not somewhat popular but it doesn't matter how fast you send those trains, it's capacity is still absolute ass. If it didn't have the longest line in the park that would be stunning.

Kentucky Kingdom posted an updated 2020 calendar, and unfortunately Hallowscream is not a part of it. There is also no mention of it on the website Looking at a 56 day operating calendar this year. I wonder if they are still making a determination, or decided not to do it. Oak Island is gone and maybe they don't have the resources to focus on planning the event. Also perhaps they too are concerned about this dreaded second wave we hear about in the fall. I am glad they are going to get the park open though! Fingers crossed Hallowscream comes back next year and it's not gone for good.

And they have a buyout the day after Holiwood Nights. There goes that stop on the way home.

Things could change around at the season starts, but I'm not too surprised they wouldn't have Hallowscream planned at the moment considering all the planning involved into putting it together themselves, as well as the newly required health protocols needed because of the pandemic. It would be pretty sweet if they somehow fit in night rides like last year, even without haunt.

I think they could stay open Oct for night rides, if they could keep the staffing and this pandemic doesn't blow up again.

They have rescheduled the coaster event to August 30. So, Holiwood Nights > Kentucky Kingdom is still happening if you want to attend both.

That's what I'm doing with my kids! Can't wait to take them to both parks, HW for their first time, and KK for the first time for the younger two.