Kings Island to add 7-story water slide system

Scroll to the bottom of this story to tell us what you think about the Tropical Plunge.

When Soak City Waterpark opens next year at Kings Island, patrons will get the chance at an "adrenaline" water slide the likes of which the park has never seen.

Tropical Plunge will have six slides all together, but it's the three that riders will step into, a clear shield closing around them before the floor drops out, that will surely be the talk of the park.

And this happens seven stories off the ground.

After the vertical drop, the slide curves under the rider and he or she will careen through a series of twists and turns, said Kings Island spokesman Don Helbig.

Similar water slides can be found at Kings Dominion near Richmond. Virginia, and Dorney Park near Allentown, Pennsylvania.

The slide will be built toward the front of Soak City, in an area that is currently undeveloped and serves as a smoking area.

Park officials would not say how much it will cost to build Tropical Plunge, but said it will be constructed by the Canadian water slide company Whitewater.

Also new next year will be an improved entrance toll gate to the parking lot. The two current gates, opened in 1972, will be torn down.

Helbig said it should create a much smoother experience entering the park and end the days that traffic backs up onto Kings Island Drive.

The new gate will be located in the northern side of the parking lot.

There had been a lot of speculation about changes coming involving the Racer roller coaster, after Kings Island used a photo with the iconic ride prominently in the foreground in a tweet about a park addition on Tuesday.

So is the Racer in the clear?

"The Racer is safe," Helbig said. "In the foreseeable future it's not going anywhere."

What about the rumors that Kings Island would announce the construction of a "dark ride" like the ever-changing one added at Cedar Fair’s Knotts Berry Farm this year?

"Our CEO Matt Ouimet has said he'd like to see every Cedar Fair park eventually have one," Helbig said. "It's a popular attraction, it's kind of the new rage. We'll see what happens."

Visitors vote with their feet, Helbig reminded Kings Island lovers. So if you've got a favorite ride and want it to stay, he suggests making sure that you ride it.

Mobile users, tap here to access our poll.

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Earlier story: Kings Island has yet to file any official request with the city of Mason to build or change, or do whatever it is, they plan to announce this afternoon.

It's common practice by the park not to file for permits before announcing a new attraction, said Mark Heckenmueller, Mason's chief building official.

To his knowledge, Heckenmueller said making the announcement first has never caused the city any problems nor put the proposed plan in jeopardy.

He did say this seemed early in the year for an announcement, though permit requests are made by the amusement park throughout the year.

"Usually they wait until later than this" to announce a major new attraction, Heckenmueller said. "Not sure why they are announcing it this early."

The amusement park announced on Tuesday that a 2 p.m. press conference would be held to share news of a “major new attraction” coming in 2016.

The park's mention on Twitter was accompanied with photo of the Racer roller coaster, along with the hashtag #newfor2016.

Immediately, speculation began brewing that changes are coming for that particular ride.

Maybe it would be torn down, some pondered, or perhaps redeveloped.

Another person opined in favor of a campground, saying there is a need in the area for a RV resort.

Kings Island will not be the only Ohio attraction making news this week: Up north in Sandusky, a “record-breaking and history-making announcement” is expected at some point from Cedar Point. That park had expected to make its announcement Tuesday evening but the news was postponed after a man was struck by a roller coaster and killed while trying to retrieve his dropped cell phone.

Both amusement parks are owned by parent company Cedar Fair, which normally builds one new major attraction/roller coaster at its Ohio properties each year.

Cedar Point got a new “floorless” coaster this year.

Is it Kings Island’s turn in 2016?

The amusement park got a new coaster in 2014, when the Banshee went into service.

The American Coaster Enthusiasts is speculating Cedar Point will be the one getting a new coaster in 2016.

There is also speculation stirring that Kings Island is building a “dark ride,” the term for an indoor attraction such as “Pirates of the Caribbean” at Walt Disney World.

Cedar Fair’s Knotts Berry Farm had a new “dark ride” this year; it cost only $10 million, which is much less than a new coaster.

Whatever it is, The Enquirer’s Time Outside reporter Carrie Blackmore Smith will be there, live tweeting. Follow her at https://twitter.com/CarrieSmithEnq.

Mark Wert contributed to this report.