Mystic Timbers Review - Kings Island

Mystic Timbers

Kings Island, Mason, Ohio

Fast-paced with a bonus final brake run "in the shed."

Mystic Timbers is Cedar Fair's attempt at creating coaster with a theme. It worked out well but we still wish it had more story and buildup during the queue. Photo by Jeremy Thompson

Score: ➊ ➋ ➌ ➍ ➎ ➏ ➐ ➑ ➈ ➉ 7.76/10

95th Percentile 

Height Requirement: 48" / 122cm
Top Speed: 53mph
Inversions: 0

Where to Sit on Mystic Timbers: Back.

Mystic Timbers looks small in stature and was a coaster that was initially a disappointment when announced, but the ride delivers and is actually one of the best wooden coasters we've been on!

Excitement: 8.9/10 This ride was seen as a family wooden coaster during its original announcement, so hopes weren't high, but this coaster is as much as of a beast as the Beast it sits next to. Don't let the short height fool you! The ride is non-stop action and has some very interesting low-to-ground sections. Near the end there's a straight section that's banked left through an airhill, and then banked right through another small airhill; this odd right-left bank is one of the highlights of the ride.

Pacing: 8.6/10 The pacing is incredible, right after the first drop through to the end. It may just be the best pacing for a coaster of its height. It doesn't give up, and the lateral G-forces are beautifully done and placed perfectly throughout the ride to give an out-of-control (but still comfortable) ride!

Technicals: 8.1/10 A good length ride that could be longer, but it uses the space it was given so well. The footprint is compact but still gets you out into the woods far enough to compliment the theme of the ride. The low airhills throughout the course are effective and keep the pace fast. The ride is smooth but also relatively new, so it could get a bit rougher with age. Throughput is also good but ride operators are average-at-best with load and unload times.

Theming: 5.5/10 Great theming with a lot of missed opportunities. You enter a nicely themed entrance arch and then the queue sucks. I wish that they kept the theming throughout the queue instead of playing pop music over the speakers. Sharing more of the story line during the queue would make this one of the best coaster experiences, but instead you get some security footage and are left wondering what is going on until the end of the ride when it all makes some sense. You can read all about the storyline online, so why not introduce it in the queue??  Walking up to the ride you cannot see much of it, and they did a good job of keeping the trees around the coaster during construction. Sit near the front of the train to enjoy the shed more. (Minor spoilers ahead.)

What's in the shed? You ask.

I must say, the shed was a huge disappointment at first. What a damn perfect opportunity to have a drop-track, even a small 1-foot drop would do. However, the shed quickly grew on me after my second ride. As I rode multiple times at night, the whole train was chanting "SHED, SHED, SHED," from lift hill to brake run - that's the moment I fell in love with the shed. It's awesome. The shed rocks. The shed is the best block brake ever. Let the train stacking commence, keep me in the shed as long as you want.

The shed brings together the coaster train like one big family as you sit in anticipation. There we were, all singing "Cars" by Gary Numan, until a creature appeared on the screen in the front and to the side of us as we made a quick turn to the station. The shed last 3 seconds, but its randomness and anticipation of it that makes it so good.  Maybe you don't 'get' the shed because you've never been on a train with the local crowd, then you'll understand.

You carry a lot of speed through the flat section at the top of the first hill. Photo by Jeremy Thompson

Uniqueness: 7.7/10 While the shed is a good excuse to ride this over and over, it's actually the layout and pacing that will have you jumping on for more. The high speed throughout the ride and character the ride has is one of a kind. What a way to thrill riders all the way through to the exit of the ride and have them continue talking about it afterwards.

Score: ➊ ➋ ➌ ➍ ➎ ➏ ➐ ➑ ➈ ➉ 7.76/10 

Placement: 95th percentile among all coasters. (Ranked in the top 5% of coasters worldwide.) Not as good as Prowler at World's of Fun. Better than Ravine Flyer II.

Here you go: