A Night of Fright at Kentucky Kingdom 10/6

Saturday Hannah, Daniel, Brooke, and I took a trip to SFKK for Fright Fest. We arrived at the park around 12:30 and headed to Guest Relations to recieve a free ticket for Brooke, while Daniel and Hannah had $10 off coupons, leaving them with a $29.99 total each. Not bad. I had my seasons pass. We entered through the gates and of course the metal detector went off on me. I emptied my pockets and headed on in. Our first stop was the Break Dance, which I guess will now take the place of S:TOP for the first ride we do everytime we come to the park. We waited two cycles and were on. They started out with only one person running the ride, but I believe about 5 minutes after we got off another ride op came to assist. At least the one op was really interactive with the guests!

Next we headed to Blue Beard's Bounty, which is a HUSS pirate. It runs a pretty tame program, but it's still okay in the end seats. Behind BBB is the SFKK's only haunted attraction this year, Nightmare Inc, and it looked like they did good with it. More on that later.

Road Runner Express was next. The line was fairly short, about a 7 minute wait. They were using 4 of six cars that were visible. Anyone know what happened to the other two? Didn't the ride originally have 8? Oh well. This wild-mouse is heavily braked, but pretty good if you know how to brace yourself.

Greezed Lightnin' was still testing so we headed to the Rainbow. Now, I know a few years ago the ride recieved some majorly needed rehab, and was running great earlier this year. So.....why was it so bad today? They were only letting 12 people on per cycle, and I believe it can seat 32. Why was this? Also, when the ride slowed down to reverse directions, the rider carriage swayed back and forth! I KNOW that is NOT supposed to happen! Needless to say, once was enough. It scarred the crap out of Hannah! lol.

We looked over and saw that Greezed Lighnin' was now running so we headed in its direction. When we began towards the entrance, Brooke stopped. She then told us that she wasn't going to ride because she had built a ride like it on RCT and it flew of the top on the front spike.......I know, right. I thought she was just joking. I mean, you have GOT to be kidding me! But she wasn't, so her and Hannah sat it out. Daniel and I went into the completely empty station, hopped in the front seat, and took a ride. GL is defenitely a back seat ride. The front just doesn't do anything for me at all, expecially on the back spike. Why is there never a line for this ride?

At 2:00 the Skycoaster opened. Neither me nor Daniel had ridden this before, and there was a $15 per person special. So we figured, what the heck. We were the third group on. After deciding that I would be the person to pull the rip cord, they hooked us up and we were slowly taken to the top. This is not for those who are afraid of heights. Once to the top you can see everything....well, for a few seconds that is. After dangling at almost 200 feet in the air for a short amount of time, you hear through a speaker, "3...2...1....FLY!" You pull the rip cord, and.......HOLY ****! What kind of IDIOTS would want to do something like this!!!??? Oh, wait. Well, the free fall is truly AMAZING! I have never lost my stomach for that long in my life! Needless, to say, next time we go, I am defenitely doing it again.....

After the Skycoaster we headed across the bridge towards Thunder Run and Twisted Twins. But first, the others needed to do some credit whoring. So, we rode Roller Skater. Umm, this is not a kiddie coaster. Maybe a JUNIOR coaster, but not kiddie. The first drop in the back seats will really take you by surprise! I mean, it's nothing major, but it was faster than I remembered it..... oh well. Time for the "big kid coasters".

We walked all the way up to the station for Thunder Run. Brooke and Daniel opted for the very back, and Hannah and me, the very front. I always had thought that TR was a front seat ride, but not today. The airtime wasn't really there, and neither was the speed. But then we did it again, only this time, in the back. This time, the airtime was there. As was the speed. I LOVE the main three hills, now only if they would retack the first and second high-banked turns. TR has the potential of a Top Ten Woodie, IMO. More on this later.

Next we made the long, hot, rideless trek back to Twisted Twins. Mile High Falls was closed, but it really would have been nice to take a punge on it, considering it was 85 degrees! Need I remind you...IT'S OCTOBER! But anyway, back in this area is where the Trick-or-Treat acitvities were, which I found strange considering there is absolutely nothing for kids to do back here. But didn't there used to be a kiddie ride section back here? Why did they get rid of it? Between MHF and TT there is a fairly new stage where they were having story book time with kids and their parents. It was nice to see Six Flags doing this. The stage took the place of a fun thriller-bees ride that was removed in, I believe, 2002. I don't know why though, for that leaves Twisted Twins and the Zepplin ride back in a little corner that is nearly impossible to find, expecially now that they have blocked off the path leading to Penguin's Blizzard River. Stella (teal train) was the only side of TT that was running, but that's okay, because I'm not the biggest fan of Lola (pink train) anyway. SFKK needs to buy some new trains for these/this coaster, for they are HORRIBLE! You can literally see the trains shuffling side to side along the track. The only thing good on this coaster is the first drop, which yanks you out of your seat. SFKK, please, restore this coaster to its former glory! Once was enough, so we headed back under Thunder Run to T2.

T2 was, for some reason, only running one train. The other train was on the transfer track with all of the restraints open. Why not put it on? T2 was a prototype SLC, and therefore only has 7 cars per train, leading to very low capacity. But oh well, the line was only around 15 minutes for the last two seats, so we got in line. At the top of the lift I told my friends that this is probably the worst roller coaster they will ever ride, but amazingly......it wasn't half bad! The first drop is good, and aside from the first 2 inversions, the ride was, I can't believe I'm saying this, somewhat smooth! Yea T2! Well, that's what we thought at least, for now........

I had been told to watch out for the lines on Chang to be long, but, when we walked up into the station, there wasn't 1 other person waiting in any queue! Holy crap! Where was everybody? Chang was the only ride all day that was running two trains, so I guess that is why it had the shortest wait! We hopped in the front. I love Chang! Easily my favorite stand-up, and probably my favorite ride in the park. (TR was last year, in its reign of smoothness.) The first drop is good, as is the airtime before, during, and after the MCBR. While Chang is not heavily braked on the MCBR, it still is slowed down, but you only notice it in the front..... For some reason, Chang only has 7 rows, does anyone know why? After the first ride, we decided to go to the back. But since there was no one there, we didn't have to go back around! Yea! The back on Chang is VERY intense, maybe TOO intense! Every one of us had blacked out after the first inversion, but we rode again five times anyway ;).

We went back across the bridge to the "old" park, and rode The Enterprise. This is probably my favorite Enterprise anywhere, I don't really know why, but I just like it. I guess because you are held completely vertical for an extended amount of time. Good ride!

Next we came to the longest wait of the day, which was the Thrill Park Theater. The movie playing was Elvira's House of Superstition, which is my favorite of the motion simulator movies obviously, or I wouldn't have waited 1 hour and 10 minutes for it. But hey, it was hot outside and 20 minutes of AC was worth waiting for. It was about to get dark, so we went over to the Papa John's near the front of the park. Daniel and I bought a $26, 14" pizza for everyone and we devoured it in minutes. We spent quite a bit on food, considering the pizza and 3 soft drinks for each of us throughout the day. Luckily, Kentucky Kingdom lowered the price of soft drinks from $3.50 to $2.00 during Fright Fest, so that was good. When we came out of Papa John's, the fog machines had been turned on. Daniel, Hannah, and me were all ready for Nightmare Inc. But unfortunately, Brooke wasn't. We went to the haunted house entrance and saw that it was a $3 upcharge to go in. That wasn't bad, but the hour and a half line sure was. Needless to say, we didn't go in, and Brooke was releaved. Oh well, maybe next year....

We went across the bridge to Thunder Run. It was now a 25 minute wait, but we didn't care. We wanted night rides in the back seat. And WOW does Thunder Run come alive at night! We were FLYING over the hills! I don't think my butt touched the seat for a greater half of the ride! :) Still rough, but I got over it.

When heading to the other side of the "new park", you have to go under TR and wind back through a deserted path along the side of PBR, which was dark and closed. The whole path, sadly, was covered in fog, meaning that if you stuck you hand out infront of your face, you wouldn't be able to see it. Now, I have been to Fright Fest at other Six Flags parks, and I knew that where there is fog, there are scary, costumed figures that would pop out to scare you. So, of course, Brooke would NOT go through. So Daniel had to pick her up and carry her through it. And I was right, someone DID pop out and make an attemp to scare us, but it was just a preteen kid thinking he was all that. So my question is, was there supposed to be a costumed character there? Or does SFKK not do that? Hmmm......

T2 was next. The line for the back was very long, so we opted for the two rows ahead of it. Remember what I said about the "worst roller coaster ever!" earlier? Well, they should have listened to me. At night, T2 also come alive.....TO BEAT THE LIVNG SH** OUT OF YOU! If you haven't got it by now, this ride HURT! Please SFKK, you've seen the new SLC restraints.......BUY THEM!

It was nearing closing and we decided that Chang would be our last ride of the day. Once again, there was no one in the station, so we hopped in a random row and took off into the darkness, concluding a great day at SFKK.

Side Notes & Questions:

Why was Chang the only coaster running multiple trains?

Does Twisted Twins ever run both trains at the same time? (I know that both run, just not sure if they do at the same time)

Why were there no costumed characters in the fog?

Thunder Run needs retracting on the first drop and the first two highly-banked turns.

Is there a possibility T2 will get new trains/restraints?

Rainbow needs rehab.

SFKK's staff is amazing! They are very friendly and interactive with those on the ride and in line. They are also fast and efficient, even if there is a lack of them at a certain ride.

The food is good, yet expensive.

Ride Ratings:

Break Dance- 4/10

Blue Beard's Bounty- 4/10

Road Runner Express- 5/10

Rainbow- 2/10

Greezed Lightnin (front)- 6/10

Skycoaster- 9/10

Roller Skater- 5/10

Thunder Run (front)- 6/10

Thunder Run (back)- 7/10

Thunder Run (back at night!) 8/10

Twisted Twins (Stella)- 6/10

T2 (back)- 6/10

T2 (night) 2/10

Chang (front) 9/10

Chang (back) 8/10

Chang (night!) 9/10

Enterprise- 7/10

Elvira's House of Superstition (TPT)- 7/10

Thanks to everyone at Six Flags for providing a great day! We will be back! (even though you aren't adding anything new in 2008 ;))

*** Edited 10/9/2007 12:05:55 AM UTC by DantheCoasterman***

Greezy a back seat ride?

Hmm... ever try Montezumas? They don't brake it so it flies up that back spike...

I love the old shuttles near the front going backwards thru the loop. I get the best tummy tickle there, anyone else get that! Makes me laugh...

DTCM said: SFKK's staff is amazing! They are very friendly and interactive with those on the ride and in line. They are also fast and efficient, even if there is a lack of them at a certain ride.

I totally agree. They seem to be taking it very seriously this year. Hopefully, it become permanent. Management has been really out too...very good to see.

DTCM said: Does Twisted Twins ever run both trains at the same time? (I know that both run, just not sure if they do at the same time)

Don't feel bad Dan, it took me nearly five years to get the Lola credit on that ride. In fact, it happened this summer, back in July.

We were there a week ago Sunday, and had a great time. My daughter and I, much like yourselves had free reign over Greezed Lightnin'. Basically, our very own, personal ERT. We just kept moving around from seat to seat for 20-25 minutes.

Another thing I thought was great when we were there was that even though the waterpark is closed for the season, they had Deluge open! And it had a nearly 20 minute wait on it, but it was hot, and the ride was more than worth it. Deluge was one of the best decisions SF made for KK!

I went to SFKK back on Sept. 30 after coming back from Holiday World's Fall Affair and the park had Deluge open on this particular day as well. I thought the ride was pretty fun except for getting entirely soaked. Chang was a walk-on the whole time I was at the park which was a good thing since it was the coaster I clocked the most rides on. It's better than Mantis which still makes me amazed that only a year's difference could create such an improvement in the ride experience.

^Mantis has the trim on the first drop and vibrates through the whole second half, which is why I prefer Chang. I rode Deluge earlier this year and I loved it! I had never been on a "water coaster" so I'm glad SFKK got one.

I found it really strange that none of the water rides were going. How did you get to Deluge on those select days? Did you have to go through the Splash Kingdom entrance?

^No, they had a gate open that I assume is usually used for maintenance and employees. They also had a couple of freestanding signs that said, "Deluge OPEN!"

It was located on the midway directly across from T2. You would go up some steps underneath the ride, then walk up the path you'd normally use when the waterpark is open.

I have to agree with you on Chang. After riding Shockwave, Mantis, Scorcher and Iron Wolf its definatly the best of the bunch. I'm actually lucky to get on it. I was in Louisville for an FFA convention and was like hey the parks literally right here. They opened it just for FFA members and we got ERT all night. Chang did hurt my legs in some parts though. It was like having a 600 pd man on my back. The sucker has some G's.