From ki's twitter account

@KingsIslandPR: Backlot Stunt Coaster & Flying Ace Aerial Chase have been added to the Gold & Platinum pass early ride time, effective May 3.

Interesting. I wonder what prompted that decision?

^Maybe because they're all somewhat situated on a particular path, and somewhat close to each other.

And it will help take some of the stress off the other two coasters. Saturday both Beast and Diamondback were packed during ERT.

Nice! Great news.

Awesome! Whenever I go with my family now, my dad and I can ride Diamondback will my mom and my sister ride Flying Ace Aerial Chase.

Plus it's not entirely too uncommon for The Beast to not be ready by 9:30am, and this could buy them some time.

They had no choice. You would think ERT would have been somewhat exclusive, but instead you just get into the park early to face the longest lines of the day for Diamondback and The Beast.

Too bad they don't have Flight of Fear or Firehawk on the list, as those are the two coasters I would like to get to early.

Having access to BLSC will give a closer walk to FOF and Firehawk when the park opens.I think they made excellent choices for ERT. They covered two extreme rides and two rides that are just right for others.

I think the only reason ERT was so crazy on Saturday was because they were ALOT of passholders there early. I doubt this will be the case all year. I remember the last time they had ERT on Beast and Diamondback, you usually could get quite a few rides in!

ERT had been an hour. Now it's 30 minutes. That's also a factor.

Actually last year was the only time ERT was an hour everyday. Before it was 30 mins Sunday thru Friday and an hour on Saturday. But I agree they need to go back to an hour. I wonder if the turn out wasn't all that great last year and that is why they changed it back to 30 mins? IDK

I think the only reason ERT was so crazy on Saturday was because they were ALOT of passholders there early. I doubt this will be the case all year. I remember the last time they had ERT on Beast and Diamondback, you usually could get quite a few rides in!

A lot of passholders (as seems to always be the case with opening day) AND all the runners from the Color Me Pink 5K. THAT was the problem. I would hazard a guess that adding all the 5K runners to ERT doubled or possibly even tripled the total number of guests participating in ERT.

Having access to BLSC will give a closer walk to FOF and Firehawk when the park opens.I think they made excellent choices for ERT. They covered two extreme rides and two rides that are just right for others.

Waiting by Backlot puts you further away from X Base than if you were to be at the tip of International Street on the back end of the Eiffel Tower. It's pretty much a straight shot to X Base.

I was looking at it from waiting before the restrooms by Larosas Pizza on Saturday to now being on the other side of BLSC for park opening.

Having access to BLSC will give a closer walk to FOF and Firehawk when the park opens.I think they made excellent choices for ERT. They covered two extreme rides and two rides that are just right for others.

Waiting by Backlot puts you further away from X Base than if you were to be at the tip of International Street on the back end of the Eiffel Tower. It's pretty much a straight shot to X Base.

I just measured it on Google Earth, keeping in mind that the various islands and games down the middle of Coney Mall force a small deviation from a perfectly straight line regardless of which path you use. Eiffel Tower rope to the X-Base arch is approximately 800 feet actual walking distance. Coney Mall side of the BLSC plaza to the X-Base arch is approximately 780 feet actual walking distance. 20 feet isn't really much of a difference, so be prepared for a race(walk).

Actually last year was the only time ERT was an hour everyday. Before it was 30 mins Sunday thru Friday and an hour on Saturday. But I agree they need to go back to an hour. I wonder if the turn out wasn't all that great last year and that is why they changed it back to 30 mins? IDK

Speaking as someone who worked a lot of ERT sessions at The Beast in 2009 and 2011, there were some that came for the 30 minute ERTs, and it was actually just about right. The hour on Saturday, well...we usually sat in the drive box for at least 20 minutes after 9 before our first riders arrived.

Actually last year was the only time ERT was an hour everyday. Before it was 30 mins Sunday thru Friday and an hour on Saturday. But I agree they need to go back to an hour. I wonder if the turn out wasn't all that great last year and that is why they changed it back to 30 mins? IDK

Speaking as someone who worked a lot of ERT sessions at The Beast in 2009 and 2011, there were some that came for the 30 minute ERTs, and it was actually just about right. The hour on Saturday, well...we usually sat in the drive box for at least 20 minutes after 9 before our first riders arrived.

But The Beast was competing against a brand new ride at the time.

Actually last year was the only time ERT was an hour everyday. Before it was 30 mins Sunday thru Friday and an hour on Saturday. But I agree they need to go back to an hour. I wonder if the turn out wasn't all that great last year and that is why they changed it back to 30 mins? IDK

Speaking as someone who worked a lot of ERT sessions at The Beast in 2009 and 2011, there were some that came for the 30 minute ERTs, and it was actually just about right. The hour on Saturday, well...we usually sat in the drive box for at least 20 minutes after 9 before our first riders arrived.

But The Beast was competing against a brand new ride at the time.

Not in 2011 it wasn't. I remember waiting some days 30 minutes before the first person came.

I think the only reason ERT was so crazy on Saturday was because they were ALOT of passholders there early. I doubt this will be the case all year. I remember the last time they had ERT on Beast and Diamondback, you usually could get quite a few rides in!

A lot of passholders (as seems to always be the case with opening day) AND all the runners from the Color Me Pink 5K. THAT was the problem. I would hazard a guess that adding all the 5K runners to ERT doubled or possibly even tripled the total number of guests participating in ERT.

Beat me to it, I did hear from a lot of friends that went that they were letting all of the runners in for ERT too.