I have never felt the weight of a thousand stares quite like I did during the 15-minute walk to Mystic Timbers. To my left, families were gliding across the ice on International Street’s Royal Fountain under the glowing lights of the Eiffel Tower. To my right, sensible guests walked by in full winter gear, sipping on their hot chocolate. And then there was me, looking like I had taken a wrong turn on my way to Soak City. Little did I know, that freezing walk was just the warm-up for the next two hours.
The idea behind the Polar Plunge is simple but wild: it’s an annual event organized by FYE Coasters where fans meet at Mystic Timbers during WinterFest to ride in full summer gear. As a first-timer, I was already nervous, but arriving early made it worse. I stood there in my blue gym shorts and RTC t-shirt, surrounded by families in parkas, wondering if I had made a huge mistake. My anxiety vanished the moment our first line buddy appeared, rocking a Hawaiian shirt and swim trunks with zero hesitation, looking like he was ready for a luau.
Slowly, the group swelled to 34 of us, with people peeling off winter layers to reveal summer shorts and favorite ride t-shirts. After gathering for a quick group photo to document the madness, we turned to face the reality of the night: a line stretching out into the dark and a sign promising a 120-minute wait. I stared at that number with a sinking feeling. I don’t think I have ever waited two hours for a coaster at Kings Island before, even on a busy summer Saturday. And now, I was about to attempt my longest wait ever while freezing to death from the inside out.
Winding through the endless switchbacks around Mystic Timbers should have been miserable, but the energy was electric. Josh, the organizer behind the event, kept the hype alive by filming clips of the chaos, while our line buddies kept us talking and entertained, making sure the boredom never set in. It hit me right then how grateful I was. We had been to one previous Kings Island meetup led by a different group where we felt like total outsiders, but with this crew, we felt completely at home. We passed the time cheering and waving at the trains roaring by in the dark, until finally, we stood at the foot of the final staircase.
When we finally crested the stairs, Josh took the lead, stepping up to the separator to drop the news: our group was massive enough to need two trains. The ride operators lit up with amusement and curiosity, grinning as they watched our shivering army take over the platform. The energy in the station was absolutely electric. I have honestly never experienced a crowd with that kind of volume before. The air was filled with clapping, cheering, and hollering as we belted into our seats, but the moment the train began to move, reality set in. We waved goodbye to the staff and slipped out of the station, leaving the warmth behind to face the freezing wind.
I thought I knew what cold felt like. Back in November, we rode Orion and Diamondback through stinging rain, moments before they closed when temperatures plunged below 40°F. As we whipped through the Mystic Timbers woods, the freezing air was relentless. I have never felt a chill quite like that. But I’ve also never felt an energy like that. Our ride buddies screamed through every twist. The guy in the luau shirt was a legend, keeping his sunglasses on even after they fogged up and left him flying blind. Then came the shed: the Tree ending. He’d never seen it before. Our rows erupted in high fives and cheers. Frozen or not, it was hands down the best ride on Mystic Timbers I’ve ever experienced.
Walking away from the station, shivering but smiling, felt like waking up from a fever dream. If you ever have the chance to join the next Polar Plunge, take the leap. The magic of that night, the laughter, the speed, and the shared insanity, is something you have to feel to believe. It was a night we will never forget. To catch the excitement in the line and see our frozen smiles before and after the ride, watch the video below from FYE Coasters.
