Mystic Timbers
A fast, terrain-hugging wooden coaster that combines rapid pacing, repeated airtime, and quick direction changes with a surprisingly wild ride through the woods.
Park
Kings Island
CoasterSchool Level
Level 4
Bigger Thrill Coasters
Type
Wooden Coaster
Minimum Height
48 in.
Should You Ride Mystic Timbers?
Mystic Timbers is a major step up from Kings Island’s Level 3 coasters. There are no inversions, launches, or enormous drops, but the fast pacing, repeated airtime, and quick direction changes make it feel much more aggressive.
It’s a strong first Level 4 choice for riders who are comfortable on rides like Racer or Queen City Stunt Coaster and are ready for a coaster that rarely slows down.
Best For
Riders who are comfortable with faster Level 3 coasters like Racer or Queen City Stunt Coaster and are ready for stronger airtime, quicker transitions, and a much more relentless pace.
Biggest Fear Factor
The pacing and repeated airtime.
Mystic Timbers rarely gives riders much time to settle down once the first drop begins. Its numerous small hills and rapid direction changes can feel much more intense than the coaster’s height or speed statistics suggest.
CoasterSchool Take
Mystic Timbers shows that a coaster does not need extreme height or speed to be intense. Its relentless pacing and repeated airtime create a significant jump from Level 3 without adding inversions, huge drops, or extreme forces.
That combination makes it a great introduction to Level 4 — Bigger Thrill Coasters.
Quick Facts
Key stats and ride details for Mystic Timbers at Kings Island.
Park
Kings Island
Location
Mason, Ohio
Manufacturer
Great Coasters International
Type
Wooden Coaster
Opened
2017
Height
109 ft
Speed
53 mph
Length
3,265 ft
Inversions
0
Ride Duration
About 2 min.
Minimum Height
48 in.
CoasterSchool Level
Level 4
DID YOU KNOW?
Mystic Timbers won the 2017 Golden Ticket Award for Best New Ride.
The coaster combines a modern wooden layout with extensive theming, 16 airtime moments, and a finale that Kings Island famously kept secret before the ride opened.
WHAT’S IN THE SHED?
Mystic Timbers ends with a slow trip into a heavily themed shed after the main coaster portion has already finished.
Kings Island built much of the ride’s original marketing campaign around the question “What’s in the shed?”, keeping the finale secret until the coaster opened.
What Mystic Timbers Feels Like
Mystic Timbers feels faster and more aggressive than its statistics suggest. Instead of relying on one enormous element, the coaster strings together airtime hills, quick turns, and low-to-the-ground speed almost continuously.
The First Drop
The 109-foot lift leads into a roughly 98-foot first drop that quickly gets the train up to its 53 mph top speed.
The drop is noticeably bigger than Kings Island’s Level 3 coasters, but it is not the towering, exposed experience riders will encounter later on Diamondback or Orion.
The Airtime
Mystic Timbers features repeated airtime moments throughout the layout rather than saving its biggest thrills for only a few large hills.
Many of the hills are small and taken quickly, creating short pops of airtime that arrive one after another.
The Low-to-the-Ground Pacing
Much of Mystic Timbers stays relatively close to the terrain while racing through wooded areas, over water, through turns, and around other attractions.
Being close to the ground makes 53 mph feel considerably faster, while the rapid transitions give riders very little time to anticipate what comes next.
The Shed
After the high-speed coaster portion ends, the train enters the themed shed before returning to the station.
The coaster itself is essentially finished at this point, so the shed works more as a themed finale than another major thrill element.
COASTERSCHOOL RIDING TIPS
Tips for a Better Ride
Seat Choice
Mystic Timbers changes noticeably depending on whether you want a smoother introduction or stronger airtime.
- Front: Great sense of speed through the low-to-the-ground sections and generally a good choice for a first ride
- Back: Stronger pull over the first drop and more noticeable airtime throughout the layout
Body & Restraint
Mystic Timbers uses individual lap bars and seat belts while delivering frequent airtime throughout the ride.
- Make sure the seat belt is comfortably snug before the lap bar is secured to reduce how much you rise into the restraint during airtime
- Sit naturally back in the seat and allow the restraint to hold you securely rather than trying to brace against every hill
During the Ride
Mystic Timbers is much more about rapid pacing than one enormous scary moment.
- The ride becomes very fast-paced after the first drop, so expect the hills and turns to arrive quickly
- If the 109-foot lift looks intimidating, remember that the height is relatively brief, the majority of the ride stays much closer to the ground
Watch the Mystic Timbers Ride Preview
See Mystic Timbers from a rider’s perspective before getting in line. The Ride Preview will show the 109-foot lift, first drop, rapid airtime hills, low-to-the-ground turns, wooded terrain, tunnel, and themed shed so riders can see why this coaster feels much more intense than its statistics suggest.
Where Do You Go From Here?
Coaster progression isn’t a checklist. Choose the next ride based on what felt comfortable, or what still felt intimidating.
Not Ready for Mystic Timbers Yet?
Racer — Level 3
Build confidence with a traditional wooden coaster that introduces more noticeable speed, airtime, and wooden-coaster movement without Mystic Timbers’ relentless pacing.
Try Racer →
Ready for a Bigger Challenge?
Diamondback — Level 4
Take the next step into major height and speed with a 230-foot hypercoaster that replaces Mystic Timbers’ frantic pacing with enormous drops and long, sustained airtime.
Explore Diamondback →