Park News & Speculation

Cool temperatures make it hard to think about spring, but that’s exactly what construction crews at Kings Island are doing. Yesterday, demolition in the Coney Mall section of the park was completed and construction of next season’s new attraction, Kings Mills Antique Autos, is ready to begin. Park guests can check out the progress themselves during the final two weekends of Halloween Haunt.

After nearly a week of social and news media speculation, Kings Island has revealed that Firehawk is the roller coaster that will be headed to the grave in October.

Final rides will begin this weekend, with its last days of operation occurring during the final weekend of Halloween Haunt and The Great Pumpkin Fest, October 26-28.

The steel coaster originally debuted in 2001 as X-Flight at World of Adventure in Aurora, Ohio. After six seasons of operation there, the ride was relocated by the Cedar Fair Entertainment Company to Kings Island, opening as Firehawk in 2007.

Firehawk has been a guest favorite throughout its 12 seasons at Kings Island, which is why the announcement was made now so fans of the coaster can get in their final rides before it closes in five weeks. Although it remains popular, the ride has reached the end of its service life.

Firehawk takes willing test pilots more than 115 feet into the air and through five inversions in a flying position, facing the ground and watching everyone and everything below it race by in a blur.

Once riders are seated, the train seats are tilted backwards into a laying down position and dispatched. The train travels in reverse out of the station, turns left and then travels up the 115-foot lift at a 33-degree angle. At the top of the lift, it dips down into a twist that turns the trains upside down into a flying position where riders face the ground and experience the unconceivable feeling of flight. Riders fly at speeds up to 51 mph along 3,340 feet of track.

Firehawk has given over 6.7 million rides since opening at Kings Island in 2007. Its record year was 2014, when 624,016 rides were given.

Which Ride is Leaving Kings Island? Final Rides Begin this Weekend

Today Kings Island confirms that rumors surfacing over opening weekend of Halloween Haunt are true. Guests to the annual Halloween event on Friday evening were the first to see a new gravesite in the park’s annual ‘ride graveyard’ display, all set-up for a funeral service and containing a sign with the message,

The air is eerily calm as we make final preparations for the ill-fated demise of one of our own.

R.I.P. 10/28/2018

#RestInPiecesKI

#ItsBigItsGone

#RIP2018KI

Today the park confirms that the ride leaving is one of the park’s 16 roller coasters. Final rides will begin this weekend, with last days of operation occurring the final weekend of Halloween Haunt and The Great Pumpkin Fest, 10/26 – 10/28. Kings Island will reveal the coaster later this week.

Fourteen years to the day of the Les Taxis antique car ride giving its last rides on August 16, 2004, Kings Island announced the return of the immensely popular family favorite on Thursday.

The standing-room only crowd in the Festhaus cheered loudly when doors off to the side of the stage swung open and Kings Island’s vice president and general manager, Mike Koontz, rode out in a red replica antique car.

The new version will be called Kings Mills Antique Autos, and guests will board two-third case replica 1911 Ford Model Ts that will travel along a quarter-mile long track. The leisurely drive will last approximately three minutes.

Though new, the Kings Mills Antique Autos will retain the vintage feel of the original antique cars, which operated at Kings Island from 1972 to 2004 and gave over 22.5 million rides.

The ride will be located in the Coney Mall section of the park running alongside The Racer roller coaster and across from Shake, Rattle & Roll and the Juke Box Diner restaurant.

Construction on the Kings MIlls Antique Autos is expected to begin in the fall.

2019 Gold Season Passes now on sale!

To celebrate National Roller Coaster Day on August 16, Kings Island has a special 2019 Gold Season Pass offer valid through this Sunday, August 19. Buy a 2019 Gold Season Pass before Sunday and receive a free Fast Lane Plus ticket valid for a one-time use on select days through October 28.

With a 2019 Gold Season Pass, you'll also get unlimited visits with free parking for the rest of 2018, including Halloween Haunt and WinterFest. Plus, enjoy free season-long parking, discounts on food and beverages, bring a friend discounts, access to exclusive passholder events, and much more in 2019.

Gold Season Passes for the 2019 season are currently available at the lowest price of the year, as low as 11 easy payments of $8 online.