In May of 2017, I made my first ever trip to Kings Island. This was a perfect time to go because the park was introducing a brand new Great Coasters international (GCI) wooden roller coaster Mystic Timbers. During the off season, I stayed away from POV’s and articles discussing the coaster’s details because I wanted my first experience to be a surprise. I also didn’t want to ruin the most important question, what was in the shed? A tagline that became the focal point of this attraction’s opening year campaign. With so many unanswered questions, the anticipation to jump on this ride was hard to contain.
Mystic Timbers has a well-themed wooden plaza that leads to the queue entrance. The Miami River Lumber Company is the main theme here and is established immediately as you approach the ride and continues through the queue. This theming plays well at night as the haunted forest becomes increasingly eerie. Once you walk up to the wooden station you notice the amazing GCI Millennium Flyer Trains dressed like classic cars. My first ride was in the front seat and I was very impressed. The coaster has strong pacing from start to finish which made the layout seem like a blur. The shed was a disappointment due to my own high expectations (Even though a drop track seemed unlikely I was definitely wishing for it). I also thought the ride seemed to be abrupt but the time that you do spend racing along the track, sure is an experience that GCI and Kings Island can boast about.
Element by Element:
Lift Hill: I usually don’t go into much detail about a coaster’s lift hill, however this coaster does something very unique. As you ascend to the top of the 109-foot lift, Mystic Timbers suddenly slows then speeds up the chain speed. At the same time, an audio recording plays (Can’t remember what the voice says). As you reach the top, the chain accelerates and sends you on your way. This minor detail won major points with me and is a great way to take a very ordinary part of a roller coaster and add some spice to it.
First drop: This signature banked drop that is found on most GCI’s are always fun. Nice mix of airtime and lateral movement.
First hill: You catch a lot of speed as you follow the path to the first airtime hill which has a floating feel to it.
Speed Section: The rest of this course I will lump into one paragraph because it is very similar. The last two thirds of the coaster consists of several small airtime hills blended with sharp turns all performed at a blistering speed. This portion also features a tunnel helix and a bunny hop finale that slightly banks you back and forth. The entire ride is relentless and everything happens so quick that it is hard to process what is happening. I believe this is both the ride’s strength but also it’s weakness. The rapidness of the coaster through it's crazy layout makes for a super intense roller coaster. However, I believe this also makes the experience feel shorter than it really is. My first two rides left me with the feeling like something was missing from the layout.
The Shed: *Spoiler Alert* The shed is just 80’s music with some colored lights, a few props and a projector screen that gives you the view of someone looking out of the shed door into the spooky forest. Once the main station is ready for your arrival, a spooky character appears to barge its way into the shed as you exit (I have seen the rattlesnake and bat scenes). While this was a neat touch to close the ride experience on Mystic Timber’s, I don’t think it was worth the hype that Kings Island built up all preseason long.
I think Mystic Timbers is a great addition to Kings Island’s already stunning coaster collection. GCI wooden coasters always provide great low to the ground speeds and sharp intense transitions. Mystic Timbers certainly fits this mold. I stick by my opinion that the coaster is missing something. Maybe an element that differs from the rest of the ride? I haven’t quite figured it out yet. With that being said this coaster is super intense and provides one heck of a night ride! Once the grand opening lines begin to thin out, I hope to get more trips through this haunted forest.
Ratings:
Overall: 7.75/10 - Intense roller coaster with a strong velocity over quick hills and sudden curves. The ride seems a bit short probably due to the pacing, but still a must ride at Kings Island.
Excitement/Intensity: 9/10 - Very intense ride. Every twist and drop is performed with high velocities.
Fun/Enjoyable: 8/10 - Smooth ride that flings you around. The unique lift and the haunted theme make for an entertaining package.
Layout/elements: 7/10 - Several small airtime bumps and banked turns. I feel like a few more elements would have been nice. The wooded area makes for a great landscape to build a terrain coaster.
Airtime: 7/10 - So much airtime but yet not super forceful. The ejector air and floater air are all provided, however each airtime moment was very short lived. Either way airtime is airtime, and 16 doses of it is certainly nothing that I am going to complain about.
Duration: 6/10 - The duration feels a bit short. As I stated above, I feel like there is just one more element missing. However, I do not believe it has a negative impact on the coaster experience.
Lateral: 10/10 - Mystic Timbers constantly bangs you back in forth. In no way is it painful. Very well executed.
Positive G’s: 5/10 - No real major moment of intense G forces. However, you do get the heavy feeling through some of the quick turns and low valleys.
Smoothness: 10/10 - Can’t go wrong with a brand new GCI. Hopefully this coaster ages well!
Train/Comfort: 10/10 - Millennium Flyer Trains = Greatness
Appearance/Theming 8/10 - Well themed queue area that fits the location where Mystic Timbers lives. The added sound effects and lighting plus the shed are all tied in neatly. Nothing over the top but definitely enough to recognize the effort.
What are your thoughts/expectations of Mystic Timbers? When do you plan on riding it?
