Kentucky Flyer is ready for takeoff at Kentucky Kingdom, and a few members of the Coaster101 team were at the media preview event to take flight on the park’s new-for-2019 wooden coaster.
Kentucky Flyer is a Gravity Group-designed wooden coaster that features 12 airtime elements on 1,288 feet of track. It reaches a top speed of 35 mph, has 54-degree banked turns and stands 47 feet tall.
I joined fellow Coaster101 writers Kyle and Nick at the media preview of Kentucky Flyer and brought back some photos and thoughts about the coaster to share.
What were your initial reactions to Kentucky Flyer after your first ride?
John: Well, after “I have to ride this again,” I think my initial thoughts focused around the airtime. I know it was marketed as having 12 airtime moments, but I can’t think of a similarly sized wooden coaster I’ve ridden that offered that type of airtime. It wasn’t forceful “ejector air” that you’ll find on Storm Chaser.
But it’s fun and tame enough that the younger crowd can ride, especially with the 40-inch height requirement.
Nick: Indeed. I think the word of the day was “fun” as the coaster is just pure fun from start to finish, for riders of any age. There’s no dull moments as it’s hill after hill after hill from drop to brakes.
Kyle: I agree with Nick and John on this – it really is a perfect in-between coaster that parents will want to ride with their kids. It is forceful enough to keep the attention of an adult but tame enough for the 40 inch crowd.
What about Kentucky Flyer’s trains?
John: The trains are adorable. They look even better in person. And they’re very comfortable.
The coaster may not be themed, but the attention to detail in the trains make up for the lack of thematic elements.
Kyle: I loved these trains! The airplane theme is great and I like how short the trains are, it really mirrors the whole ride. The seats are very comfortable, but being taller, I did hit my shins on the front of the car after a couple of the airtime hills.
Nick: My first time sitting in a Timberliner car and I found them to be very comfortable. I love the low height requirement. I’ll have to return to the park with my five year old son. Kentucky Flyer would easily be the best and most thrilling coaster yet for him. I also love all the airplane related jokes the ride attendants were using when checking restraints, like about there being no overhead storage compartments and so on.
What’s your favorite part of the ride?
John: Without a doubt, it’s the double-down element that comes not long after the turnaround point. It’s an element I always enjoy, and Kentucky Flyer demonstrates that it can be executed on a smaller scale and still retain the same butterflies-in-the-stomach sensation.
Another highlight was the “double up” that follows the first drop. That’s when it hit me that Kentucky Flyer was going to be a miniature airtime machine.
Kyle: My favorite part of Kentucky Flyer would have to be the last two hills. By that time in the ride, the train has picked up speed and I felt that I got the most airtime on those last two elements!
Nick: Yeah, really for me it’s both of Kyle and John’s favorite part: the entire return trip to the station. It’s basically six small airtime filled hills in a row.
Where does this rank among Kentucky Kingdom’s other five coasters?
John: I think Kentucky Flyer fits easily into the top 3. I wouldn’t put it above Storm Chaser or Lightning Run, though. But it’s almost unfair to compare Kentucky Flyer to those as they’re really in totally different leagues. But if you consider re-rideability, I think it moves closer to the top of the list. I could stay on it for hours.
Kyle: Yeah, Kentucky Flyer could easily be a coaster you could spend all day riding and not get worn out (or bored). While I too think that Lightning Run and Storm Chaser still hold the top two spots, Kentucky Flyer is right behind them. It is way smoother and more fun than Thunder Run or any of the other coasters at the park.
Nick: It’s crazy to think that within five years Kentucky Kingdom has added three fantastic airtime coasters in Lightning Run, Storm Chaser, and Kentucky Flyer. I could spend all day just walking back and forth between these three, riding them all day.
What are our overall thoughts about Kentucky Flyer?
John: Until Kentucky Flyer opened, there was no “transition” coaster between Roller Skater and the park’s high-octane coasters: Storm Chaser, Lightning Run, Thunder Run and T3. This is the perfect addition to the park’s coaster lineup. Every park, big or small, should have a family-friendly wooden coaster.
I’m a little worried about its location in the park. I’m admittedly not a Kentucky Kingdom regular (I should be), so I’m not as familiar with the layout of the park. But from what I could see during our preview of the ride, it appears to be tucked away. Hopefully signs for the ride help guests find their way.
Nick: I think the park will eventually add a second bridge across the road and connect the midway by Lightning Run over to Kentucky Flyer, making it’s placement a little less awkward and easier to find. I do like the way it kind of closes in the water park and provides a great backdrop for the slides and pools. It wouldn’t be a bad day to lounge out at the water park and just watch the coaster zip back and forth.
Kyle: Location aside, I am very impressed with this addition to the park. I have always thought that it would be great to see parks add more rides like this for families to enjoy together. I also love whenever a new true woodie is built, and for what it is, Kentucky Flyer is a perfect fit here.
Nick: I don’t think it’s been mentioned yet but Kentucky Flyer is the ONLY new wooden roller coaster to open in the US this year (and possibly one of two in the entire world for 2019).
What’s next for Kentucky Kingdom?
John: Ed Hart and his team have done an amazing job bringing this park back to life. I’m sure any leftover decision makers at Six Flags from the late 2000s are questioning the call to not fight for this park.
In regard to the future, I’m guessing that the park will focus on the water park and perhaps some flat rides over the next few seasons. Kentucky Flyer is somewhat off the beaten path, so it would be nice to build up that area if space permits.
I think we can all agree that the future is bright for this park.
Kyle: I hope we continue to see small improvements over the next several years, especially regarding wayfinding. However it seems that with the addition of Kentucky Flyer, this park now has an even more solid lineup. If I could add something to the park, it would be a couple more high thrill rides. If I could hope for something bigger in their future, I would want to see something like Copperhead Strike or Maverick fill in the space behind Kentucky Flyer.
Nick: Huge shoutout to everyone at Kentucky Kingdom. You continue to impress me. The media day event was one of the best I’ve been to and that’s a tribute to the fantastic staff there. If you’re a coaster enthusiast or an amusement park fan and you haven’t been to Kentucky Kingdom in the past few years, do yourself a favor and get there soon! Kentucky Kingdom is quickly becoming one of my favorite parks thanks to its growing coaster collection and the amazing people there.
Kentucky Flyer POV Video
Watch an on-ride video of Kentucky Flyer below:
And here’s a bird’s eye aerial view in 360 degrees we were able to get from some of the water slide tower complexes:
See even more pictures on our Facebook page, including some 360-degree photos.
Kentucky Kingdom opens for the 2019 season on Sunday, April 28, 2019. For more information, visit Kentucky Kingdom’s website.
Have you ridden Kentucky Flyer yet? Share your thoughts about Kentucky Kingdom’s newest coaster in the comments section below.
I was there for ClubTpr and I’m sorry I missed you because I would have loved to met you since this is one of the coaster pages I look at while working.