Kentucky Kingdom + Kings Island: My Jam-Packed ACE Spring Conference 2014 Trip Report - Part II

Howdy again. :}

Did you enjoy Holiday World and Beech Bend? 

Me too. :}

Today we hit the ground running with an early drive from Bowling Green to Louisville for an extra-special sneak preview of the NEW Kentucky Kingdom and Hurricane Bay!

The park wouldn't be having its grand opening until the following weekend, but ACE (along with some employees of Amazon.com) was treated to a special park preview to check out the brand new Lightning Run, the newly re-modeled Thunder Run, and all of the park's other new and refurbished attractions! 

Wow! What a way to start the day!

Kentucky Kingdom looks spectacular. It's lovelier and more vibrant than I've ever seen it!

Lightning Run received its state approval to open to the public a mere two days before the event. The purple train, which had been assembled just the day before the event, was still awaiting its inaugural test runs.

The park's iconic giant wheel is looking great!

Sara and I are so pleased to be back!

We started our visit in the lunch pavilion with a welcoming ceremony (which we missed the first half of because of traffic), but we were all itchin' to get some rides on Kentucky Kingdom's sparkling new stars!

Okay, everyone! Let's go for a Thunder Run!!

Even though the park was open to both ACE and Amazon, the park was kind enough to give us two hours of ERT on both coasters right in the middle of the day! 

Woohoo! Who's ready for some fresh-track action??

I'm pleased to say that Thunder Run has never been better! Smooth as butter with fabulously-remodeled dayglo orange PTC trains!

The Flying Dutchman, a classic transplant from Kings Island, is also in fabulous shape!

Okay! Time to hop in line for Lightning Run!

While the line for Lightning Run moved slowly as the ride's crew familiarized themselves with their new work environment, the view from the ride's queue kept us thoroughly entertained.

The queue and station themselves have not changed since they were occupied by Greezed Lightnin' (the park's now-retired Schwarzkopf shuttle loop), but the surroundings are almost unrecognizable!

Finally getting to see Lightning Run in action is a treat in and of itself.

Pictures cannot accurately capture just how swiftly this ride moves. I knew right away that we were in the presence of a serious airtime ass-kicker!

As for the public response, I'd say the riders' expressions speak for themselves. :}

If you're a fan of Rocky Mountain Coasters, get your butt to Kentucky! Lightning Run's design is actually the result of a proud collaboration between RMC and Chance Rides!

On that note, Lightning Run's trains are essentially the same as Outlaw Run's

What can be said about Lightning Run?

I would say that, despite a…..uhh..…plentiful restraint system, Lightning Run is basically perfect. The layout, speed, and pacing are perfection. It's nothing but violent, out-of-countrol airtime and flawless transitions. The lift is fast, the first drop is breathtaking, and the ride gets progressively wilder until it crashes into a sick triple bunny hop finale. I was left totally speechless after both of my rides. My first was somewhere in the middle of the train, and my second was in the very front. The ride happens so fast; I really only managed to comprehend what was going on after the second time through.

Get to Louisville and ride this ride. Right now.

I wouldn't be offended if you stopped reading this report this very instant, hopped into your car, and drove to Kentucky Kingdom to ride this ride. 

When waiting in a long line, take a family portrait to pass the time!

For all you Opryland U.S.A. fans, you'll be pleased to know that the Tin Lizzies are still going strong here at Kentucky Kingdom. :}

Airtime. Right here. Are you seeing this?

Jordan and David! Are you ready for your ride??

They seem to be enjoying themselves. :}

As you can see, the park was beyond packed! We were already running late after our Lightning Run ERT, so we decided to go ahead and make our way to our next destination...

…Kings Island!

Kings Island was busy too, though not quite as congested as Kentucky Kingdom.

And boy, was Kings Island ever ready for us! They welcomed us with open arms, good food, and free gifts!

Plus a wicked ACE ice sculpture!

And a memento for us all to sign!

:}

After dinner, everyone split off and did their own thing until this evening's ERT. Pressure was off, so I just meandered around the park 

Hey Gurl. How you doin'? :}

Look who it is! It's Sara and Christian!

Banshee, you know I love you...

...but my heart still belongs to the Bat!

As you might've seen in my Banshee Media Day Trip Report, Bat is running better than ever!

Arrow Suspendeds are just such a thing of beauty. :}

Thank you to the Bat Team Lead for taking this great picture of Christian and me!

At this point, I figured I may as well hit up Invertigo while I was in the area. :}

Invertigo is so nineties. Right down the progressive hip-hop they play in the station!

Hush, Banshee. I haven't forgotten about you. You'll be back in the spotlight soon enough.

Invertigo's tracking well these days. Definitely still a cut above your average boomerang.

It's a shame Dorney Park can't get the original Invertigo (Stinger) operating consistently. Kings Island's seems to run without too many problems.

Banshee + light-up mittens = magic.

Now at Kings Island, a fabulous new snack: Fudge Push Pops!

Speaking of snacks, one of our ERT snacks was a funnel cake bar! Toppings included whipped cream, Oreos, and BACON!

I, of course, had to snag a nighttime ride on Vortex. :}

Good night, Kings Island! See you bright and early in the morning!

Banshee: The Breakfast of Champions!

The Great Pumpkin Coaster: The Credit of Whores!

That's right! After starting our day out with Banshee, Kings Island opened up all of the kiddie coasters for us. Credit whores rejoice! 

SO MUCH EXCITEMENT!

Now it's time for Scooby Doo.
Beastie.
The Fairly Odd Coaster.
Woodstock's Express!

It's an ACE party in these classic little PTCs!

Hoo! Now here's one I haven't ridden in a while. Flying Ace Aerial Chase only runs one train, so it always has a line. Thank goodness for ERT!

We all decided to head over to the Flight of Fear / Firehawk area so that we could get a ride on Firehawk before the crowds got too crazy. Dispatches on this ride are not exactly swift.

Firehawk continues to give a solid, smooth ride! 

OK, we need to talk about Flight of Fear for a sec.

Flight of Fear has gotten extremely rough in the last few years. The ride shutters through the first half and then crawls through the second half after screeching to a halt on the mid course block break. What was an aggressive-but-enjoyable experience less than one year ago has now regressed to a state of almost unbearable discomfort. Hopefully there is something to be done about the current condition of the ride, because right now the situation is not pretty.

Backlot Stunt Coaster,

I like you, but I liked you better when you were Antique Cars.

Fortunately, this Kings Island classic is still around! Who's ready for a ride?

…dude. We got wet.

I guess that's what happens when you put 700 lbs of ACEr into a single log.

I enjoy the pacing of Backlot Stunt Coaster, but during our morning ride, ALL of the special effects were turned off. #lame

Vortex, is there room underneath you for some Antique Cars? I think that should totally be a thing. Antique Cars under Vortex. :}

Vortex, you can do your acrobatics while I take pictures and crash repeatedly into the median with my antique car. 

If you want a great ride on Vortex, sit in the very back. It may or not beat the everliving poo out of you, but that first drop will have awesome airtime. 

Psh. Banshee, can you not? I think everyone has seen you from every possible angle now. 

OK, fine. We'll do a quick photo shoot from the Eiffel Tower. Is that good enough for you?

"Draw me like one of your French girls" says Banshee.

I kind of feel like, now that Banshee exists, B&M inverts need to be a thing again. Can parks please cool your jets on wing coasters and go back to building these? Please? lol

So much activity!

Windseeker, I am never, ever, ever, ever going to ride you.

Like, ever.

Kings Island: Where things occur n' stuff.

Hello you wet, deceptive log flume of wetness!

Racer raced periodically throughout the day. Both sides are running great. :} 

Similarly, Firehawk was sending out trains periodically.

Y'know…whenever it felt like it.

Back on terra firma, it was time to head back to the Beast Pavilion to see what the other ACErs were up to.

Look! It's an auction!

Mercy. Never thought I'd see this again.

Beast is looking rather dashing this season and is running well, but damn is it trimmed! 

Remember when I said I would never, ever ride Windseeker?

Well, I lied. I rode it.

And it was awful. 

I would much rather be riding this instead. :}

Although I don't have any pics of it on this report, Adventure Express continues to be great. The view of Banshee from Adventure Express's exit is also great. :}

At this point in the day, the park was pretty busy. Everything that needed to be ridden had been ridden, and now everyone was just waiting for ERT. Some of my peeps had gone back to the hotel to nap. Others were in the beer garden drinking. I had planned to participate in the Racer/Firehawk/Beast/Diamondback walk back tour, but I was dumb and missed the meet-up time. Bummed, I decided to drown my sorrows in some video games, that is until I ran into Scott Conley and Colin Quigly. The two informed me that the Beast portion of one of the walk back tours had been POSTPONED due to a Beast breakdown. I rejoiced with them that I hadn't missed my chance to take backlot pictures of Beast, and the three of us took a celebratory ride on the Racer. 

I still had about an hour to kill before the make-up walk back, so I decided to sniff around the arcade for a bit.

OMIGOSH. STOP EVERYTHING.

Well this day just keeps getting better and better! Who woulda thunk that I'd find my all-time favorite arcade game here at Kings Island? Better yet, the prices were good and the prizes were ideal! 

After my Wizard of Oz arcade therapy session, it was time for the Beast walk back!

And look who's in line to ride! My boys!

This is already more of the Beast than one can see from the park under normal circumstances.

There's quite a nice plot of land back here, actually. Land for future development, perhaps? ;}

Walking under Beast's lift hill was…well…just really effing cool!

Hello glorious Beast riders! Rejoice and be happy!

Here we are underneath Beast's drop finale!

Today I learned that the right handrail of Beast's first drop is also the right handrail for Beast's final ascent to the station. Who knew?

Ahh, Beast. What a lovely thing you are. :}

We got to enjoy the spectacle of several passing trains as we meandered about.

Each train that passed us had a handful of park-goers that waived at us. Here you can see Dan and Jeff in the back car. :}

Steve, John, and Alec are also in that back car. Clearly that back car is where the party is at!

Deeper within the Beast's lair we found the motor house for the second lift hill.

As well as the surprisingly-high ascent from the ride's first underground tunnel.

Thank you for being so cooperative, happy Beast riders! ;}

"I'm getting tired" says the Kings Island Kanadian Goose.

Tired?! We can't go to bed yet! It's Banshee time!

And Delirium time!

AND Inveritgo time, apparently (even though one ride on Invertigo is enough for most people).

This is the last Banshee picture, I swear.

Alec and Jeff agree that Bat time is the best time of all!

OK, I lied. :}

THIS is the last Banshee picture!

Goodnight, everyone! That concludes My Jam-Packed ACE Spring Conference 2014 Trip Report. Thank you Holiday World, Beech Bend, Kentucky Kingdom, Kings Island, and ACE for putting on such a spectacular event! And thank YOU for reading! It means very much to me that you read these things. It makes my heart smile. :}

Join us next week as Thrillography braves the wind and waves of Six Flags Over Georgia's brand-new Hurricane Harbor! We've got a couple hours of media-day shenanigans planned, followed by an afternoon of general Six Flags tomfoolery. See you there! :D