New Kings Island Coaster Ride Vehicles Draw Inspiration from Classic Chevrolet Pickup Truck
The ride vehicles of Mystic Timbers, the newest roller coaster at Kings Island, appear to be based upon a classic Chevrolet C-10 truck model
Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was… overtaken by vines?
In just one month, Kings Island, a 364-acre amusement park located near Cincinnati, Ohio, will open for its 2017 season. When it does, the park will also debut its newest roller coaster, Mystic Timbers.
A wooden coaster designed by Great Coasters International, Mystic Timbers will be the park’s fourth wooden roller coaster and 16th coaster overall. With a grand total of 18,804 feet of wooden-coaster track scattered throughout the park, this will make Kings Island the amusement park with the most wooden coasters in the world.
The track layout for Mystic Timbers
Kings Island is definitely displaying affection for this classic style of roller coaster. However, Mystic Timbers will also affectionately call back to a beloved vehicle in Chevrolet’s history.
After all, the ride vehicles featured in Mystic Timbers are most likely based upon a classic Chevrolet C-10 pickup truck.
More Upcoming Rides: Jimmy Fallon Races Through New York in Bizarre New Universal Studios Ride
Kings Island hasn’t officially dubbed the trucks that carry passengers through the woods of Mystic Timbers Chevys, and you certainly won’t find that classic Chevrolet bow tie on the front of the vehicle’s hood. Nevertheless, there are more than enough clues that point toward the ride vehicles drawing inspiration from the classic Chevrolet pickup truck.
First of all, the ride vehicles for Mystic Timbers are obviously supposed to be based on pickup trucks. This fact was only further backed up when the team at Kings Island sent out media kits prior to the ride’s unveiling last summer.
Included in each of those media kits was a blue die-cast truck. Dayton Daily News even went so far as to report that it was a Chevrolet truck.
.@KingsIsland drops new hints about new ride >>> https://t.co/UMJkmH1CCx pic.twitter.com/K7VbCjgVyA
— Dayton.com (@daytondotcom) July 19, 2016
Once the ride was officially announced, renderings of the coaster were placed online. That is when coaster-enthusiasts got their first good look at the ride vehicles, and those vehicles bear an uncanny resemblance to a classic Chevrolet C-10 model from the 1960s.
Not only is the grille of the ride vehicle a near-identical match, but the front headlights are in the same position as well. Plus, the hood scoop seems to match one belonging to a Chevy C-10.
It’s even blue and everything
Photo:Sicnag
One final piece of evidence comes through a tweet from Kings Island itself. The tweet shows a rusted 1960s GMC medium-duty pickup trucks at the site of Mystic Timbers’ construction. The Chevrolet C-10 ran under the 1000 Series title when it was released through GMC during this era.
The Miami River Lumber Company is where the story behind #MysticTimbers begins. pic.twitter.com/6wpjcl2xdS
— Kings Island (@KingsIslandPR) March 6, 2017
That solves one mystery surrounding Mystic Timbers. However, it’s not exactly the question on everybody’s mind right now. Instead, the question everyone is asking is “What’s in the shed?”
Kings Island has revealed the layout for the entire coaster, except what happens at the end of the ride in its mysterious shed sequence. The amusement park has even jump-started an online campaign to get guests guessing, using the slogan #WhatsInTheShed.
What do you think is in the shed?
Popular guesses include a projection sequence or even a drop sequence of sorts. Whatever is in the shed, Kings Island will not reveal until the ride opens with the rest of the park on April 15.
What is known is that Mystic Timbers will be 3,265 feet long, with a maximum height of 109 feet. Traveling at a speed of 53 mph, guests are sure to receive quite a thrill riding Mystic Timbers, especially with its 16 airtime hills.
You can watch a point-of-view video for Mystic Timbers below:
Mystic Timbers is set to be located in the park’s Rivertown area, near Kings Island’s other famous wooden coaster, The Beast. Mystic Timbers will even interact with sections of the Kings Island & Miami Valley Railroad and White Water Canyon attractions.
“Mystic Timbers is naturally exciting because of its setting in a densely wooded area,” Kings Island’s vice-president and general manager Greg Scheid stated in a press release. “The natural rugged terrain and tunnel ensures a unique and memorable ride experience.”
Better Make It a Super-Stretch: Ride in Style at Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
The storyline behind Mystic Timbers involves an enchanted growth of vines taking over the area that once housed the Miami River Lumber Company. Based upon the story and artwork for Mystic Timbers, it would appear that something supernatural is at play, maybe even making an appearance in the mysterious shed.
To uncover the secret of Mystic Timbers, riders will simply have to board the Chevrolet-inspired trains and head into the shed when Mystic Timbers opens to the public on April 15.
Sources: Kings Island, Dayton Daily News
Zachary Berry currently resides in the Dayton, Ohio area. However, he enjoys traveling from place to place, as he was born in Oklahoma City and has also lived in Albuquerque and Orlando (such is the life of a military brat). Zachary graduated from Ohio University with a major in Strategic Communication, which is fancy talk for advertising and public relations. Beginning his career at The News Wheel as a lowly intern, he was able to climb his way to the top, eventually claiming his place within the last cubicle on the left. Other jobs that Zachary has held include driving around a safari truck at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. When he’s not putting his nose to the grindstone, Zachary enjoys watching and critiquing movies and television. See more articles by Zachary.