Bet some people had forgotten all about this!

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https://twitter.com/KingsIslandPR/status/828702388097789952

^And of course, they put it in a section that's one of the most out of the way points of the park along with the fact it isn't open the entire year.  

Yeah unfortunate that its not open during non water park days/ hours...

But it seems fairly central to me.

That's fast to build a restaurant! Usually I think they would start that sooner.

Soak City doesn't open as early in the season as the rest of the park, so it made sense to wait a little later, when there is less chance of poor winter weather interrupting construction. Although this particular winter did turn out to be mild. 

Even 3 months seems kind of fast to build a restaurant. Although, I haven't been following that too much and don't really know the details of it. If it's just a walk-up type of place then that would make sense, or if it's a fast-food type place I suppose it could be done. But, buildings go up fast these days.

Here's some new pictures of the smoke house restaurant under construction in Soak City!

Work is coming along!

Kings Island posted a blog post about the new restaurant today:

https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog-article/online-fun/Construction-begins-on-Island-Smokehouse/?mobile=0

Three things:

1.  I'm always intrigued by the construction prowess of Kings Island.  Breaking ground on an entire restaurant in early February that will be finished and open by Memorial Day.

2.  There's an interesting line in the above blog post along the lines of certain "seasonal options".  Are they planning on having access to this restaurant during the post season?

3.  Would anyone want to take the time to show, using a satellite map image, where this restaurant is going to sit exactly?  Thanks!

Kings Island also posted a blog post about the new restaurant today:

https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog-article/online-fun/Construction-begins-on-Island-Smokehouse/?mobile=0

Three things:

1.  I'm always intrigued by the construction prowess of Kings Island.  Breaking ground on an entire restaurant in early February that will be finished and open by Memorial Day.

2.  There's an interesting line in the above blog post along the lines of certain "seasonal options".  Are they planning on having access to this restaurant during the post season?

3.  Would anyone want to take the time to show, using a satellite map image, where this restaurant is going to sit exactly?  Thanks!

One need only to look back in this very thread at an earlier post from yours truly [emoji4]

Edit. Looking at the instagram page. Preparations are already being made for winterfest. Perhaps a stage specifically for winterfest? Some sort of spectacle is set probably to be made at the front gate, I'm guessing.

And judging by the angle Banshee's pressumed batwing and.. 2nd? Loop are, I'm thinking its somewhere close to where SOB Rose Bowl used to be. That would explain the topography raising toward where the loop is.

The only other place close to Banshee I've seen walls like that are right before Adventure Express's first tunnel.

I split this out into a separate thread, so that it's easier to find than in the general 2017 Kings Island thread.

On 2/15/2017 at 4:42 PM, KIfan73 said:

3.  Would anyone want to take the time to show, using a satellite map image, where this restaurant is going to sit exactly?  Thanks!

The pictured construction is near Breakers Bay, in the area calakapepe circled in his post above.

https://twitter.com/GlauserDan13/status/832046201734303744?s=09

It does seem late to start but its possible this is just a "serving" restaurant and no actually cooking takes place in the facility, meaning there would be much less work to complete.  either way, I have little doubt that the construction schedule has been appropriately laid out and this will open on time.

What? No cooking in the facility? Where IS the cooking happening then? Lol
The other stands that already get slammed without having to cover for a large dining space? ~

19 hours ago, medford said:

It does seem late to start but its possible this is just a "serving" restaurant and no actually cooking takes place in the facility, meaning there would be much less work to complete.  either way, I have little doubt that the construction schedule has been appropriately laid out and this will open on time.

I'm sure the cooking will be done in said building.

As I have stated before, there is always a 'minimum'(if you will) time frame when constructing something. The quicker you want it done = more people, time, effort = more $. As you can imagine, this also works if you take too long on a project. So imagine the time to cost ratio as a parabola (very loosely). I'm sure KI will get it done in the time frame they want unless something happens in the mean time that could delay the project.

The interesting thing about this new restaurant is the bottle neck. That area next to the Breaker's sign is congested, so much as for the fact that it is a main thoroughfare for waterpark guests. It will be interesting to see how far it pertrudes out into the walkway, but I am sure they already have that covered. Overall, is this a great addition? Yes, this is one of those seldom additions that I think the park actually needed above and beyond all else. It looks as if it might have a patio from what I have seen, so if I have a patio, waterslides, and a nice lineup of food, I am set. On terms of theming, I am actually quite surprised. Ouimet is putting touches into Cedar Fair theming and this looks like something straight out of Bris.....erm... I mean Carribean region that is definitely not Australian. (No but seriously this looks as if you had an extended Outback a la Mason.) Ontop of that, seasonal operation would be brilliant. Nice summer flare during the waterpark season, some autumnal food during the kid's Halloween event, and some southern Christmas food during the WinterFest would be incredible. Time will tell on the load out of the restaurant, but either way I am happy.

Another pic was just posted on Twitter.

 

Does anyone else think that this restaurant is going to invite lots of non-bathing-suit wearing guests to take a train ride and venture into the waterpark (not that that's necessarily a bad or good thing)?  I can't help but think the park has already thought of this (or possibly planned on it for some reason?).  

Probably, but I doubt it'll make a huge difference to the guest experience, mainly some people are just a little more covered than others, right?

Might be fun to take the train over to SC for lunch/dinner?

New pic of Island Smokehouse from Chef Nathan @KICHEFNATE Twitter.

 

I've gone to Soak City purely for photography purposes fully clothed.  It takes some getting used to, but I got over feeling weird about it eventually, especially for good food.  

I've gone to Soak City purely for photography purposes fully clothed.  It takes some getting used to, but I got over feeling weird about it eventually, especially for good food.  

Um.... Going to soak for "photography purposes" doesn't sound like a weird feeling that anyone should "get over"... Now I have a weird feeling.


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Photography purposes as in taking photos of the slides and wave pools for a coaster fan site I used to work at.  The weird part was the feeling of being overdressed.

Perhaps having the Smokehouse in SC will encourage visits and possibly extend the hours of that section of the park. It would also be fun to take the train ride to the Smokehouse during Winterfest. That would be like taking the Polar Express to the North Pole:

I'm really not sure I can see that happening.  This new restaurant to me just seems like another quick-service.  Even if it does end up being the best quick-service in the park, I cannot see the vast majority of the general public trekking over to Soak City just for some Smoked meat.  

I will trek over from my house for smoked meats!

Even if the general population doesn't go over there for meats, during the time it is open Soak City has plenty of customers. On a side-note, during the times Soak City isn't open, it be nice if you could just park over there to get entrance to the park and avoid some of the horribly designed parking lot.

Horribly designed parking lot?
The entrance is right in the middle of the lot of the regular park. Or do you mean the directions you have to drive to get in?

I can think of many worse parking lots than KIs lol

New pictures of the construction of Island Smokehouse! 

Chef Nathan @KICHEFNATE Twitter

Work continues on Island Smokehouse! 

From Chef Nathan @KICHEFNATE Twitter

That is shaping up very nicely! Looking forward to seeing the finished product.