Kings Island will open for the 2025 season on Saturday.

In today’s Morning Briefing, we take an in-depth look at the upcoming season and what new things to expect, including Soak City’s latest attraction, RiverRacers. We also tell you about the schedule of special events and other fun facts about the park.

If you have thoughts or feedback on this newsletter or other news tips, please let me know at Greg.Lynch@coxinc.com.

The newsletter should take about 2 minutes, 15 seconds to read.

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RiverRacers: Kings Island’s newest ride attraction

• The ride: RiverRacers is a dueling water coaster. Guests will traverse the slide in two-person tubes.

• The builder: The ride is a “Dueling Master Blaster” model, built by designer and manufacturer Whitewater West, and it is customizable, with versions existing across the world.

• Multiple riders: The water coaster has an output of 720 riders per hour due to its usage of different zones.

• Water jets: The ride features a dual track, each holding a tube of two riders. Guests will ride down the first hill before being propelled up by water jets reaching speeds of 30 mph.

• Lighting: The enclosed portion of RiverRacers’ track has colorful lighting effects.

• Finish line: The tracks will then diverge, each going into an enclosed section before a banked outdoor turn, followed by another indoor helix. The riders will then shoot out across the finish line.

• PHOTOS: RiverRacers water coaster at Kings Island under construction

More changes coming to Soak City, which opens May 24

• Splash River Junction: This year the amusement park will also be adding Splash River Junction, a children’s area with more seating, a wading pool with a water tower and a new slide complex called Salamander Sliders.

• Pool renovation: In 1997, the park introduced its first wave pool. Now known as Breakers Bay. This season, the park will be updating the wave pool, resurfacing its floor to make it more comfortable for guests.

• Iconic blue ice cream: Introduced in 1982, Kings Island’s blueberry-flavored ice cream has proven to be one of the most popular food items in the park. This year it will be served at Soak City for the first time.

• Entrance updated: Kings Island has changed the entrance to Soak City, adding a new security gate in front of the welcome sign. This gate will help with guest flow on busy days.

Other Kings Island news and notes

• Special events: Kings Island has a unique mix of summer events planned for the 2025 season.

— Food and Wine Festival: Guests will be able to try special dishes and wines from across the world. Those events will be held weekends May 30 through June 22.

— Star-Spangled Nights: One of the largest Fourth of July celebrations in southern Ohio. July 4-5.

— Grand Carnivale: This festival is famous for its Spectacle of Color parade, featuring dozens of floats and performers. July 19 through Aug. 3.

— Halloween Haunt and Winterfest: More information about these celebrations will be revealed in the future.

• Livecams: Cameras stream what’s happening on the park’s International Street, facing its fountains and the iconic replica Eiffel Tower, as well as the Orion giga coaster and Planet Snoopy children’s area.

• Podcast: Kings Island fan podcast, “Tower Topics,” recently had Dayton Daily News reporter Alex Cutler as guest.

• Grand Carousel: This iconic Kings Island ride is 99 years old and just got an upgrade.

• What fans want: We asked Kinds Island fans what new things they would like to see at the park.