Kings Island
| Previously known as Paramount's Kings Island | |
 Kings Island Logo | |
| Location | Mason, Ohio, United States  |
|---|---|
| Opened | April 29, 1972 |
| Owner | Cedar Fair Entertainment Company |
| Slogan | Kings Island... Where Else? |
| Operating season | April through November |
| Area | Available 775 acres (3.14 km2), Used 364 acres (1.47 km2) |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 49 |
| Roller coasters | 15 |
| Water rides | 3 |
| Website | Kings Island |
Kings Island is a 364 acre theme park located in the city of Mason, in Warren County, Ohio, USA.[1] The park is located 24 miles (39 km) northeast of Cincinnati. The park owns close to 775 acres (3.14 km2) of land, but only 364 acres are currently developed. Kings Island is owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Co., and was part of the former Paramount Parks chain that Cedar Fair acquired from CBS Corporation on June 30, 2006. Kings Island is the second most visited seasonal theme park in the United States of America, behind its partner park, Cedar Point. Fellow former-Paramount-Park Canada's Wonderland is the most visited seasonal theme park in all of North America, making three sister parks the most visited seasonal parks in the continent. Kings Island has won the Golden Ticket Award for best kid's area for 8 consecutive years.
Park history
Kings Island broke-ground on June 15, 1970 and first opened its gates on April 29, 1972 in what was then Deerfield Township (close to Cincinnati, Ohio), developed by the Taft Broadcasting Company. Taft Broadcasting took the name from the previous landlord, the defunct King Powder Company, which founded the town of Kings Mills for its workers. The site is between I-71 and the Little Miami River. The park remained in Deerfield Township until it was annexed into the city of Mason in 1997.
Kings Island served as a replacement for Coney Island, a popular park on the Ohio River about 10 miles (16 km) east of downtown Cincinnati. Although Coney Island was very highly-regarded and successful, frequent floods forced the landlocked park to relocate to higher ground, closing after the 1971 season, but has since reopened on a much smaller scale. Many of the rides from Coney Island were moved to the new park; the only attraction left at Coney at the time was Sunlite Pool, the world's largest swimming pool, which has operated every single year since 1926.
The park received some of its first nationwide promotion from two ABC sitcoms filming episodes there: The Partridge Family in 1972, and, more famously, The Brady Bunch the following year. While they do not mention the name of the park, they do call it "a new park outside Cincinnati." Coincidentally, the latter was produced by eventual owners Paramount.
In 1984 Taft Broadcasting Company sold the company's Amusement Park Group, including Kings Island, to Kings Entertainment Company (KECO) which was formed through a leveraged buyout of the attractions by several members of Taft's APG management team. In 1987 American Financial Corporation purchased the park while KECO continued to operate it through a management contract. In 1992 Kings Island was purchased by Paramount Communications, along with four other theme parks in America and Canada; the park was renamed Paramount's Kings Island. Two years later, Viacom purchased Paramount, then in 2006 split into two companies - Viacom and CBS Corporation - with the latter company inheriting Paramount Parks, and subsequently selling them to Cedar Fair Entertainment Company later that year. The deal made Kings Island sister parks with two other prominent parks in Ohio: Cedar Point in Sandusky in between Cleveland and Toledo right off of Lake Erie and Geauga Lake's Wildwater Kingdom in Aurora near Cleveland.
Original attractions
The centerpiece of Kings Island has always been its 1/3 scale replica of the Eiffel Tower, located just across the Royal Fountain from the main entrance gate. Elevators regularly take patrons up to the top of the tower, which provides a chance to see the entire park and, at park closing, offers the best view of the nightly fireworks display. (Another Eiffel Tower resides at a sister park Kings Dominion.)
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Another star attraction is the Racer, which consists of twin wooden roller coasters that race each other side-by-side. Designed by legendary designer John Allen, The Racer is credited by many people with starting the second golden age of the roller coaster. In 1982, the trains on the right side of the Racer were turned backward, freshening up an old favorite. (Many coaster enthusiasts have nicknamed the backwards train "recaR".) Since 2008, the right side trains have been operating in the forward facing direction.
Other coasters present in 1972 were the Bavarian Beetle, a small steel coaster brought over from Coney Island (and removed in 1979); and Scooby-Doo, a wooden coaster (renamed "The Beastie" in 1979 after the opening of The Beast; and renamed again as Fairly Odd Coaster for 2006) located in the park's Nickelodeon Universe area.
More attractions present at opening day were Haley's Comet, Kings Mill Log Flume, Les Taxis, Grand Carousel, Der Spinning Keggers, Sky Ride, Enchanted Voyage, Marathon Turnpike, Scrambler, Flying Scooters, Winnie Witch's Spinning Cauldrons, Kings Island and Miami Valley Railroad, Monster, and The Rotor.
Later attractions
Kings Island has set several roller coaster-related records. In 1979, the park unveiled The Beast, the tallest, longest, and fastest roller coaster in the world at the time. After 30 years, it still holds the title of the world's longest wooden roller coaster at 7,419 ft (2,261 m), which is largely accredited to the rise and later dominance of steel roller coasters. In 1981, Kings Island introduced the world's first suspended roller coaster, The Bat. Plagued with mechanical problems, The Bat was removed four years later. In 1984, King Cobra opened. It was the first stand-up coaster in the world designed specifically to be so, although previously a few sit-down coasters had been converted to stand-up. However, King Cobra was dismantled (and put up for sale) in 2002 when maintenance proved to be too expensive. In 1987, the Vortex roller coaster briefly set a new record with six inversions.
1989 saw the debut of Water Works, a family water park featuring several slides, a wave pool, a lazy river and other attractions. An approximate 30-acre (120,000 m2) expansion of Water Works occurred in 1997, and a further renovation and expansion in 2004 coincided with a name change to "Boomerang Bay".
In 1982 Kings Island introduced a Christmas event called Winterfest, which ran from November 25 through December 31. The International Street fountains were turned into an ice-skating rink, and for a few years a nightly laser light-show was centered on the Eiffel Tower. Most rides were closed, except for a Holiday-themed train ride, hayrides, and the Enchanted Voyage, a water based dark ride; special shops and restaurants, as well as other holiday-themed activities, were available. Early on there were horse drawn carriage rides and hand made crafts for sale all along International Street. Live holiday shows could be seen at the American Heritage Music Hall (later the Paramount Theater and now called the Kings Island Theater) and Festhaus; carolers made regular appearances. The event ended after the 1992 season, but made one additional appearance in 2005. Slow ticket sales prompted new owners Cedar Fair to shelve the idea.[2]
Additionally, the park offers "Halloween Haunt" (previously "FearFest"). There are 13 attractions, which include dark mazes, haunted houses and haunted trails. The event runs late September through October.
For 2007 Kings Island announced the construction of Firehawk, a Vekoma flying roller coaster. This ride originally operated at Geauga Lake under the name X-Flight. The coaster has been repainted from the neon green track and dark gray supports to a red track with steel gray supports. The two trains have been painted red and yellow.
Today, Kings Island has 14 roller coasters[3] and many large flat rides. It also has more tame rides as well as other attractions for those not interested in thrill seeking. Kings Island has also won Amusement Today's award for 'Best Kid's Area in the World' eight consecutive times (2001–2008). Its longtime kids' area, Hanna-Barbera Land, was joined by the Viacom-synergistic Nickelodeon Central, which debuted in 2001, which in turn was an extension of the Nickelodeon Splat City area. In 2006 the entire kids' area was rethemed by a Jacksonville, FL-based theming contractor as "Nickelodeon Universe". This huge retheming undertaking involved transforming the entire 11-acre (45,000 m2) children's area to the new "Nickelodeon Universe" theme. Based on this work, Amusement Today magazine presented "Nickelodeon Universe" with the prestigious 2006 Golden Ticket Award as the Best Kid's Area in the World.
While no new rides were added to Kings Island for the 2008 season, the park expanded its live entertainment lineup . A redesigned Guest Relations office, and a Cinnabon outlet were added on International Street.
A Bolliger & Mabillard steel hypercoaster called Diamondback replaced the former Swan Lake. It opened in April 2009. On July 22, 2008 dark red track sections were delivered to the park and set on site of the construction. The park launched a teaser program on their website the same day. On August 6 2008 the park announced the new ride.[4]
New ownership
On June 30, 2006, Paramount's Kings Island, along with the rest of the Paramount Parks chain, was purchased by Cedar Fair Entertainment Co., for approximately USD $1.24 billion.[5] With this purchase, Cedar Fair would own all three major amusement parks in Ohio (Paramount's Kings Island, Cedar Point and Geauga Lake). The park continued to operate under the name Paramount's Kings Island through the end of the 2006 season, however Cedar Fair began removing the "Paramount" name and logo from the park in January 2007.
In February 2007, it was announced that Geauga Lake's X-Flight flying coaster would be relocated to Kings Island for the coming season, and be re-painted and re-branded as Firehawk. This decision was made because of a combination of Geauga Lake's declining attendance, and Kings Island's thrill-seeking guests wanting a new thrilling coaster experience. The ride opened officially Memorial Day weekend of 2007.
Kings Island, like the other parks in the former Paramount Family, featured a number of attractions — encompassing rides, live shows and restaurants — based on Paramount Pictures films and other CBS and Viacom brands. A number of these attractions were renamed in the 2007-08 offseason. FACE/OFF became Invertigo (the name of its make / model), the Italian Job Stunt Track became the Backlot Stunt Coaster, Tomb Raider: The Ride became The Crypt, Drop Zone: Stunt Tower became Drop Tower and Top Gun: The Jet Coaster became Flight Deck, like other Top Gun themed rides. When it first opened, Top Gun's station platform already had the words "Flight Deck" on it. Cedar Fair used this for the basis for the renaming.
There is also now a stronger emphasis on cleanliness under Cedar Fair management[citation needed]; more trash cans were placed, along with highly visible ground-sweeping teams; and the addition of safety belts to several coasters and rides in the park. Kings Island's live entertainment department has also received greater support, with new shows throughout the park, including shows at venues that were otherwise empty in 2006.
Lists of Stages & Theaters
| Venue | Year Opened | Location | Show | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Festhaus | 1983 | Oktoberfest | The County Line, Down Home Country | |
| Timberwolf Amphitheatre | 1982 | Action Zone | ||
| Kings Island Theater | 1976 | International Street | Endless Summer on Ice | Known as American Heritage Music Hall and Paramount Theater.Renovated in 2004 with new seating and digital systems. |
| International Showplace | 1972 | International Street | Flashback: Totally 80's! | |
| International Street Bandstand | 1972 | International Street | Don't Stop The Music | |
| Action Theater | 2001 | Coney Mall | SpongeBob SquarePants 3-D | Known as FX Theater |
| Putz HQ | 2009 | Nickelodeon Universe | Marty's Party | Known as FX Nickelodeon Theatre (2006-2008) |
(2006-2008
Lists of Attractions
(See here[6] for Kings Island official ride listing.)
Action Zone
Opened in 1974 as Wild Animal Habitat. Renamed Adventure Village in 1994. Renamed Action Zone in 1999. This area has three of the park's roller coasters.
| Ride | Year Opened | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Delirium | 2003 | A HUSS Giant Frisbee. |
| Son of Beast | 2000 | A Roller Coaster Company of America designed wooden roller coaster. Was the first hyper wooden coaster and the first wooden roller coaster with a vertical loop. Closed July 9, 2006 due to a malfunction, injuring 27 riders. The vertical loop was removed in December 2006 to allow for lighter weight trains. Reopened on July 4, 2007 with trains formerly used on the Hurricane: Category 5 roller coaster from the former Myrtle Beach Pavilion. NOTE: Son of Beast is currently closed pending an investigation by the Ohio Department of Agriculture after a guest complained of a head injury seventeen days after a ride on Son of Beast. It is unclear when the ride will reopen. |
| Invertigo | 1999 | A Vekoma inverted Boomerang roller coaster. Known as FACE/OFF (1999–2007) after the Paramount movie of the same name. |
| Drop Tower: Scream Zone | 1999 | An Intamin gyro drop. At 315 feet (96 m), it is the tallest gyro tower in the world. Its original location was set to be the site Launch Pad occupies today. Drop Tower was closed for inspection in June 2007, along with 5 similar rides owned by Cedar Fair due to an incident from a similar ride made by the same manufacturer, Intamin AG. No passengers have ever been injured on Drop Tower: Scream Zone at Kings Island, but it was closed until it could be thoroughly inspected. The full name of this ride is Drop Tower: Scream Zone. It was built with a movie theme, entitled Drop Zone: Stunt Tower (1999–2007). |
| Thunder Alley | 1996 | Go-kart racing track is a pay-per-ride attraction originally based on the hit movie Days of Thunder. Known as Days of Thunder (1996–2007). |
| Xtreme Skyflyer | 1995 | Double Skycoaster with a 153-foot (47 m) dive. Pay-per-ride attraction. Known as Drop Zone (1995–1999), after the Paramount movie Drop Zone, but was renamed in preparation of a new ride in 1999 to bear the name. |
| Flight Deck | 1993 | An Arrow Dynamics Suspended roller coaster, the last of its kind built in the world. Cars are suspended below the track and are free swinging. Known as Top Gun: The Jet Coaster (1993–2007), with a queue themed to the film Top Gun. |
| Congo Falls | 1988 | A shoot-the-chute boat flume ride with a 34' drop. Known as Amazon Falls (1988–1999), after the Paramount movie Congo. |
Oktoberfest
Opened with the park in 1972. Contains one roller coaster.
| Ride | Year Opened | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Sling Shot | 2002 | Catapults riders in a steel cage 260 feet (79 m) in the air, and then flips multiple times before returning slowly to the platform. |
| Adventure Express | 1991 | Arrow Dynamics designed family Indiana Jones unofficially themed Mine Train roller coaster. |
| Viking Fury | 1982 | Swinging pirate ship ride. |
International Street
Main strip featuring many shops, the Eiffel Tower, and the Royal Fountain with light and water shows. Opened with the park in 1972.
| Ride | Year Opened | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Eiffel Tower | 1972 | An approximately one-third scale replica of the Eiffel Tower in Paris; manufactured by Intamin AG. Known as Sherwin-Williams presents The Eiffel Tower (1972-) |
| Grand Carousel | 1972 | The classic carousel was built in 1926 and is painted with more than 20,000 sheets of 23-karat gold and 1,000 sheets of sterling silver and 48 hand-carved wooden horses. |
Coney Mall
Opened with the park in 1972 as Coney Island, named after the park's predecessor, Coney Island. Renamed Coney Mall in 1986.
A new sub-area, X-Base, opened in 2007 with the addition of Firehawk. Since Firehawk was built next to Flight of Fear, the area took on the new theme, claiming to be a government area testing new flight-and-propulsion systems. This area has five roller coasters.
| Ride | Year Opened | Description |
|---|---|---|
| FireHawk | 2007 | A Vekoma Flying Dutchman (1018m) flying roller coaster. Originally operated at Geauga Lake as X-Flight until the end of the 2006 season. Firehawk is located directly beside of Flight of Fear in the X-Base themed section of the park. The ride itself carries the same theme as it did as "X-Flight," a government flight prototype looking for test subjects codenamed FireHawk. This ride is Kings Island's 14th coaster. |
| Backlot Stunt Coaster | 2005 | A Premier Rides family launch coaster based on the chase sequence of the 2003 remake of The Italian Job. Riders launch into a parking garage, dodge police cars, and are attacked by a helicopter, which ignites fire all around riders before hitting a second launch section, sending riders into pitch black darkness.. Known as The Italian Job: Stunt Track(2005–2007). |
| Flight of Fear | 1996 | A Premier Rides LIM-launched roller coaster prototype. Over-the-Shoulder harnesses were also removed and replaced with lap bars in 2001. Identical to the coaster with the same name that opened at Kings Dominion the same year. Known as Outer Limits: Flight of Fear (1996–2000). |
| Action Theater | 1994 | Simulator movie theater. Originally based on Days of Thunder; several other movies have screened in recent years. These movies have included James Bond 007, SpongeBob Squarepants 3D, The Funtastic World of Hanna Barbera (previously located at Universal Studios), and 7th Portal. Temporary attractions are housed in the theater during Fear Fest, which have included Elvira's Superstition, Dracula's Haunted Castle, and Funhouse Express. |
| Vortex | 1987 | An Arrow Dynamics designed "Mega Looper" coaster that opened as the world record holder for most inversions (6). At nearly 150 feet, it was the tallest steel coaster in the world when it opened, but was quickly outpaced the following year by Six Flags Great Adventure's Great American Scream Machine (178'). |
| Zephyr | 1985 | A giant suspended swing ride. |
| Shake, Rattle, and Roll | 1973 | Huss spinning ride. Known as The Troika (1973-) |
| The Racer | 1972 | A John Allen/Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters white racing wooden coaster. One of the cars was backwards for over 20 years but Both sides began racing forwards again for the 2008 season. |
| Monster | 1972 | Traditional "Spider" ride. |
| Dodgems | 1972 Remodeled in 1985 | Special 2-seater bumper cars from Italy with working headlights, taillights, rear-view mirrors, and hazard flashers. |
| Scrambler | 1972 | Traditional amusement park ride. 3 arms spin riders giving them the sensation of almost hitting the wall. |
Rivertown
Opened with the park in 1972. This area is home to two roller coasters.
| Ride | Year Opened | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Diamondback | 2009 | A steel B&M hypercoaster, 230 feet (70 m) tall and 5,282 feet (1,610 m) long, and a top speed of 80 mph (130 km/h). The ride is unique in being the first B&M hypercoaster to feature a splashdown water effect. |
| The Crypt | 2002 | An enclosed Huss Giant Top Spin. Highly themed to the film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider until the park was sold to Cedar Fair. The themeing, musical soundtrack, and pre-show were removed in large part for the 2008 season. It now has a small theme in the queue area only, with the ride itself being in a dark, empty room now. Known as Tomb Raider: The Ride (2002–2007). |
| White Water Canyon | 1985 | Whitewater rafting adventure ride, originally to be named White Water Rafting Adventure. |
| The Beast | 1979 | A giant wooden roller coaster designed by the park themselves that remains a top 10 coaster among many industry experts and enthusiasts. When it first opened, it held virtually every major record for rollercoasters (tallest, fastest, longest). To this day, it retains the record for longest roller coaster in the U.S. and the longest wooden roller coaster in the world. The ride features extensive use of available terrain and has two separate chain lifts throughout its course. Originally supposed to named the champion |
| Kings Island Railroad | 1972 | A steam train ride which provides transportation between the main theme park and Boomerang Bay. Before the water park and its station were built, the train ride was a narrated excursion, traversing a mostly isolated wooded area with multiple old west-themed props. Known as Kings Island & Miami Valley Railroad (1972–2008). |
Nickelodeon Universe
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Opened with the park in 1972 as The Happy Land of Hanna-Barbera, later shortened to Hanna-Barbera Land. The upper part was renamed Nickelodeon Central in 2001, and both sections were renamed "Nickelodeon Universe" in 2006. Amusement Today has awarded Nickelodeon Universe with the Golden Ticket Award for the Best Kids' Area in the World for the past eight years.[7] Expanding over two neighborhoods dedicated to SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer, Nickelodeon Universe features more than 18 attractions and more kids' coasters than any other park in the world. Cedar Fair will not renew its contract with Viacom in 2009, and as a result the Children's area will drop the Nickelodeon theme in 2010[citation needed]. There are four coasters in this area.[8]
| Ride | Year Opened | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Avatar: The Last Airbender | 2006 | Skateboard themed ride that spins as it glides over a ramp |
| Phantom Flyers | 2006 | Known as Danny Phantom Flyers (2006–2007) |
| Plankton's Plunge | 2006 | A very small version of The Drop Zone ride |
| SpongeBob SquarePants Bikini Bottom Bash | 1995 | Known as Nickelodeon Green Slime Zone (1995–2005) |
| Rugrats Runaway Reptar | 2001 | A Vekoma family inverted coaster based on the TV show Rugrats. |
| Timmy's Airtours | 1998 | Known as Atom Ant's Airways (1998–2005) |
| Lazytown Sportacopters | 1998 | Known as Yogi's Sky Tours (1998–2005) |
| Little Bill's Giggle Coaster | 1992 | This junior roller takes guests up a small hill and then circles around and goes up the chain again. It was remodeled in 2006 to reflect its new theme as part of Nick Universe. Known as Scooby Zoom (1992–1997), Top Cat's Taxi Jam (1998–2005). |
| Backyardigan's Swing-Along | 1992 | Known as Pixie and Dixie's Swingset (1992–2005) |
| Blue's Skidoo | 1992 | Known as Dick Dastardly's Biplanes (1992–2005) |
| Nick-O-Round | 1982 | Known as Hanna Barbera Carousel (1982–2005) |
| La Adventura de Azul | 1982 | Known as Quick Draw's Railway (1982–2005) |
| Jimmy Neutron's Atom Smasher | 1976 | Known as Flintstone's Boulder Bumpers (1976–2005) |
| Nick Jr. Drivers | 1979 | Known as Fender Bender 500 (????-2005) |
| Fairly Odd Coaster | 1972 | A John Allen/Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters family wooden coaster. Known as Scooby Doo (1972–1979) and Beastie (1980–2005). |
| Scooby-Doo and the Haunted Castle | 1972 | A Sally dark ride experience for families which involves shooting laser guns at ghosts and ghouls. Known as Enchanted Voyage(1972–1982), Smurf's Enchanted Voyage(1984–1991), Phantom Theater(1992–2002). |
| Go Diego Go | 1972 | From Coney Island (1969–1971). Known as Huck's Hotrods (-2005) |
| The Wild Thornberrys River Adventure | 1972 | Themed log ride from Coney Island (1968–1971). Closed during the 2000 season, reopened with new name and theming in 2001. Known as Kings Mills Log Flume (1972–1999). |
| Swiper's Sweepers | 1972 | From Coney Island (1967–1971) Known as Alley Cat 500 (-2005) |
Boomerang Bay
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Boomerang Bay opened in 1989 under the name WaterWorks. It was renamed Crocodile Dundee's Boomerang Bay in 2004. The movie theming was dropped in 2007. The park is a 15-acre (61,000 m2) water park with an Australian theme; features a wave pool and variety of water slides. Boomerang Bay is free with park admission. Kings Island official site - Boomerang Bay
| Ride | Year Opened | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Coolangatta Racer | 2004 | |
| Jackeroo Landing | 2004 | |
| Tazmanian Typhoon | 2004 | |
| Kookaburra Bay | 2004 | |
| Five Star Amenities | 2004 | |
| Pipeline Paradise | 1998 | Known as Wipe-Out Beach (1998–2003) Artificial FlowRider wave surfing environment using high-output waterpumps to produce a stationary 2" sheet flow of water over a fixed, foam-padded surface. |
| Great Barrier Reef | 1997 | 36,000 square foot heated Wave pool with waves up to four feet. |
| Kangaroo Lagoon | 1997 | Known as Buccaneer Island (1997–2003) Three family slides including a fortress with water canyons, and tipping tanks. |
| Snowy River Rampage | 1990 | A high-speed family water raft featuring high speed banked turns and a final plunge in 4-person circular rafts. |
| Koala Splash | ???? | |
| Wallaby Wharf | ???? | 10 children's water slides in a ship-like play area. |
| Sydney Sidewinder | ???? | Two 1 person tube slides featuring sharp curves and drops 42 feet. |
| Awesome Aussie Twister | 1989 | Two fully-enclosed translucent fiberglass tube Body slides that wrap around each other. |
| Bondi Pipeline | 1989 | |
| Down Under Thunder | 1989 | Four twisting Body slides which descend into a splash pool. |
| Crocodile Run | 1989 | A quarter mile-long inner tube Lazy river featuring raindrop mushrooms, geysers, and a waterfall. |
Defunct
| Attraction | Year Opened | Year Closed | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Back Porch Stage | ???? | 2008 | Located in Rivertown, this stage was removed for the entrance to Diamondback. |
| Nickelodeon Central | 2001 | 2005 | Nickelodeon themed area. Combined with neighboring Hannah-Barbara Land and renamed Nickelodeon Universe (2006) |
| The Happy Land of Hanna Barbara | 1972 | 2005 | Hanna-Barbera themed area. Also known as Hanna-Barbera Land. Rethemed Nickelodeon Universe (2006) |
| Scooby's Ghoster Coaster | 1998 | 2005 | Prototype Caripo Batflyer suspended roller coaster (billed as the first suspended coaster for kids). The ride had poor capacity and roughness complaints. Removed in 2005 as a part of the Hanna-Barbera Land removal for Nick Universe. |
| Emergency Green Slime Shower | 1995 | 2005 | The slime shower in the middle of Nickelodeon's Green Slime Zone |
| Boo-Boo's Baggage Claim | 1972 | 2005 | Removed in 2005 as a part of the Hanna-Barbera Land removal for Nick Universe. |
| Jetson's Jet Orbiters | 1972 | 2005 | Removed in 2005 as a part of the Hanna-Barbera Land removal for Nick Universe. |
| Baba Louie's Buggies | 1972 | 2005 | Removed in 2005 as a part of the Hanna-Barbera Land removal for Nick Universe. |
| Flying Eagles | 1972 | 2004 | A Bisch-Rocco Flying Skooters ride where the suspended passeneger tubs would spin around a vertical axis. The ride was removed to make way for Italian Job Stunt Track (now Backlot Stunt Coaster), and was relocated to Carowinds as "Danny Phantom Flyers." 3-Point Challenge, a basketball game new in 2006, currently sits where the ride used to be. |
| Les Taxis | 1972 | 2004 | An Arrow Development antique car ride where guests could drive their own gas-powered car around the track, with help from a guide rail. Also known as "Antique Cars." Removed for Backlot Stunt Coaster(Italian Job: Stunt Track). |
| Flight Team Aerial Helicopter Tours | 2000 | 2003 | Helicopter Tour of the park and surrounding area. |
| Phantom Theater | 1992 | 2002 | Dark ride themed by R and R and animatronics done by AVG Inc. A behind the scenes tour of an abandoned theater, where phantoms either helped or taunted riders. Used the omnimover system now employed by Scooby Doo & The Haunted Castle. |
| King Cobra | 1984 | 2001 | Prototype TOGO Stand-up roller coaster. It was the world's first stand up coaster with a loop. It was taken down in 2002 because TOGO had gone out of business making it harder to find new parts. King Cobra's track has been scrapped, but the cars remain inside Flight of Fear's enclosed bowl. |
| Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal | 1973 | 2001 | Traditional log-flume, acquired from the 1964 New York World's Fair, removed to make room for Tomb Raider: The Ride. |
| Nickelodeon Splat City | 1995 | 2000 | Nickelodeon themed area. Renamed Nickelodeon Central (2001), which was later combined with Hannah-Barbara Land to create the park's current Nickelodeon Universe. |
| Gulliver's Rub-A-Dub | 1972 | 1998 | Small water raft ride in Hanna-Barbera Land. |
| Skylab | 1986 | 1997 | The HUSS Enterprise ride with two seats in one car which would spin vertically like a fast moving Ferris wheel. Centrifugal force would cause the cars to go upside down. |
| Ohio Overland Auto Livery | 1972 | 1997 | Another Arrow Dynamics antique car ride, this one intertwined with the previously mentioned Les Taxis. The Auto Livery last operated in 1997, but the ride was not removed until 2004 along with Les Taxis. |
| Flight Commander | 1990 | 1995 | Intamin AG-designed flight trainer. Parkgoer Candy Taylor, who was highly intoxicated and fighting with the ride operators, fell to her death from Flight Commander on June 9, 1991 after removing her safety restraints and leaning out of the gondola and waving to her friends on the ground.[9] |
| Sunshine Turnpike | 1972 | 1994 | Yet another Arrow Development sports car ride, this one was located in Hanna Barbera Land. Originally named Marathon Turnpike, it was removed after the 1994 season, to make room for Nickelodeon Splat City (today's Nickelodeon Universe). |
| McScrappy's Slide | 1972 | 1994 | This was a Giant Slide, originally from Coney Island, it was located where Zephyr is today, and named the Flying Carpet Slide. It was relocated to Hanna Barbera Land for the 1986 season and renamed McScrappy's Slide. It was located about where Rugrat's Runaway Reptar is today. It was removed for the addition of Nickelodeon Splat City. |
| Lion Country Safari Monorail | 1974 | 1993 | An air-conditioned monorail system in Wild Animal Habitat, now Action Zone, that ran at ground level that allowed guests to view many wild animals. Kings Dominion also operated a similar attraction. The trains were later sold to Jungle Jim's International Market in Fairfield, OH. Son of Beast was later built on part of the site. |
| Enchanted Voyage | 1972 | 1991 | A dark boat ride, akin to Disney's It's a Small World. In a building shaped like a giant TV set, guests sailed through several rooms featuring animatronics of new and old Hanna-Barbera characters. A very catchy theme song played throughout the ride, which included the lines "Yabba dabba dabba doo, bosom-buddy Barney too, and Scooby-Dooby where are you." In 1984, the ride (and the song) was completely changed over to a Smurf theme, and after 1991 the boats were removed altogether and the ride converted to The Phantom Theatre. The building is now home to Scooby Doo & The Haunted Castle. |
| Winnie Witches Cauldrons | 1972 | 1991 | Small spinning teacup-like ride located between the First Aid Station and the then Flintstone's Boulder Bumpers |
| Oktoberfest Ferris Wheel | 1983 | 1990 | Most likely an Eli Bridge model. It was located immediately next to Festhaus. |
| Flying Dutchman | 1972 | 1990 | A HUSS designed ride where shoe-shaped swings would rotate around a tower. Sold to Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom. |
| Zodiac | 1975 | 1989 | A double Ferris wheel designed by Intamin. Unlike most Ferris wheels, this ride had a wheel mounted on each end of a massive hydraulic arm. While one wheel was rotating high up in the air, the other was perpendicular to the ground so that the cylindrical gondolas (which were suspended from finger-like spokes) could be loaded all at once. It closed in 1987, SBNO for two years, and then was removed in 1989 and replaced by Flight Commander. Zodiac was relocated to Australia's Wonderland in Sydney, Australia, another Taft venture park. The ride was demolished in 2004 when that park closed. |
| Der Spinning Keggers | 1972 | 1989 | An Intamin Drunken Barrels model which consisted of rotating barrel-shaped cars. Replaced with landscaping behind Viking Fury. |
| Demon | 1977 | 1987 | An Arrow Development shuttle loop roller coaster and the first of its kind as well. Located approximately where Congo Falls currently resides. Moved to Camden Park in West Virginia as Thunderbolt Express, then scrapped in 2004. Originally known as Screamin' Demon. |
| Boo-Boo's Buggies | 1972 | 1985 | Hampton motorcycle ride from Hanna-Barbera Land. |
| Bumper Cars/Cuddle Up | 1972 | 1985 | Standard bumper car attraction occupied half of the building, and a Cuddle Up (tea cups) attraction occupied the other half. These rides were located on the opposite side of the Scrambler that today's Dodgem attraction is. The Cuddle up was removed after the 1985 season, and the cars from the Bumper Cars ride were moved to a new, much larger floor and opened in 1986 as today's Dodgem (which is located in the original location of the Flying Eagles). |
| Bayern Curve | 1973 | 1985 | A Schwarzkopf Bayern Kurve in which passengers traveled on a bobsled running around a circular track. It closed in 1985 and moved to the newly-constructed Australia's Wonderland. It operated under the name Wizard's Fury until it was closed and demolished in 2002. |
| Tumble Bug | 1972 | 1985 | A 1920s Harry Traver classic that pulled linked cars around an undulating circular track, similar to Turtle at Kennywood Park. Relocated from Coney Island (OH). |
| Wheel of Fortune | 1972 | 1984 | A Chance Trabant ride with a spinning roulette wheel next to Kings Mill Log Flume. Sold to Bland's Park in Pennsylvania. |
| The Bat | 1981 | 1984 | Prototype Arrow Development suspended coaster. Although intense, the ride had a fair share of downtime as a result of the designers not banking the track as they did with later suspended coasters. This concept was reintroduced with Top Gun in 1993, which was significantly more reliable. The Bat was replaced withVortex. |
| The Rotor | 1972 | 1982 | A Chance-designed ride where passengers lined a circular room. As the ride began to spin, the floor descended several feet, leaving riders held against the wall by centrifugal force. |
| Skyride | 1972 | 1980 | A cable car skyride that took passengers from Oktoberfest (where Adventure Express' entrance is today), over the International Street fountains, to Hanna Barbera Land. |
| Halley's Comet | 1972 | 1979 | A round up style ride. Riders stood up against a metal cage-like wall inside a rapidly rotating "basket". When running, the ride gradually rose up to an angle. Located at the far end of the Coney Island mall, the ride was removed to make way for The Bat. |
| Bavarian Beetle | 1972 | 1979 | An SDC designed "Galaxi" steel roller coaster. Moved over from the original Coney Island Ohio park. |
| Kenton's Cove Canoes | 1972 | 1978 | Canoe on the ponds in Rivertown. This attraction was removed for construction of The Beast. |
Slogans
- 1972-??: "America's Family Entertainment Center"
- 1992-93: "Let Yourself Go"
- 1994: "Where the magic of the movies meet the thrills of a lifetime"
- 1997-??: "Memories That Last a Lifetime"
- 2005-06: "The Best in Hollywood Entertainment, Now Playing"
- 2007-current: "Where Else?"
Halloween Haunt
Halloween activities and Kings Island.[10] Formerly known as Fear Fest.
Indoor Mazes
- Urgent Scare
- Club Blood
- Death Row
- Red Beard's Revenge
- Massacre Manor
- CarnEVIL
Outdoor Mazes
- Cornstalkers -
- The Worksite
- Cemetery Drive
- Trail of Terror
- Tombstone Terror-TORY
Attractions
- Ghouls Gone Wild
- Dead Awakening
Awards
- Amusement Today - Gold Ticket for the Best Kids’ Area in the world. (2001–2008)
- Amusement Today - Best Concert Venue (2007)
People
- Carmen Electra - Started her professional career in 1990 as a dancer at Kings Island in the show “It’s Magic”.
- Susan Perkins - “Miss America of 1978,” worked as a live shows performer at Kings Island.
- Susan Kay Johnson, “Miss Ohio of 1987,” worked as a live shows performer at Kings Island.
Events
October 25, 1975 - Evel Knievel successfully jumped 14 Greyhound buses at Kings Island, setting a new audience viewing record for ABC's Wide World of Sports, garnering a 52 household share when his performance was broadcast live. He landed on the 14th bus, but held on. This was one of his last big jumps.
July 4, 1976 - Kings Island played host to the wedding of Paul Revere of the pop rock band Paul Revere & the Raiders.
May 24, 2008 - Robbie Knievel, son of famed dare devil Evel Knievel, successfully jumped over 24 Coke Zero trucks in the Kings Island Parking Lot. This is expected to be the last of Robbie's big jumps.[11]
July 4, 2008 - High wire artist Rick Wallenda, grandson of Karl Wallenda, broke a world Skywalk record, walking the distance from Kings Island's Eiffel Tower to the park entrance—and back again—setting a world record breaking distance of 2,000 feet (610 m) on a 5/8 inch high wire 75 feet (23 m) above the ground. Karl Wallenda set the previous record in 1974, also at Kings Island.[12][13]
August 31, 2008 - Barry Williams, Susan Olsen, and Mike Lookinland return to Kings Island for A Very Brady Reunion, a 4 show special of song, dance, and Brady Bunch stories.[14]
Events Being Planned For 2009 Season
Saturday, June 27
Tattoo Highway Thomas Pendleton
Sunday, August 16
High Wire Walk Nik Wallenda
References
- ^ McNutt, Randy (1998-08-31). "Bite by bite, neighboring cities take land". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved 2006-12-28.
- ^ Magan, Chris (2006-04-24). "Kings Island cancels WinterFest after 1-year revival". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved 2006-12-28.
- ^ "Kings Island (Kings Mills, Ohio 45034 USA)". www.rcdb.com. Retrieved 2008-05-10.
- ^ "Diamondback | Fast And Full Of Venom | Kings Island". Kidiamondback.com. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
- ^ "Cedar Fair, L.P. Completes Acquisition of the Paramount Parks". Archived from the original on 2006-07-28. Retrieved 2006-12-28.
- ^ "Kings Island | Official Home Page". .cedarfair.com. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
- ^ "THE "BEST OF THE BEST" IN THE AMUSEMENT INDUSTRY HONORED AT GOLDEN TICKET AWARDS -". www.amusementtoday.com. Retrieved 2008-07-26.
- ^ "Nickelodeon Universe description". www.visitkingsisland.com. Retrieved 2008-07-26.
- ^ Riepenhoff, Jill (1991-06-11). "Kings Island Deaths Baffle Park Officials". The Columbus Dispatch: 01A.
{{cite journal}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ "Halloween Haunt". Visitkingsisland.com. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
- ^ "Photos from Robbie's King's Island Jump". Retrieved 2008-07-30.
- ^ "Wallenda Enterprises Inc. - Exceeding The Limits of Tradition". Retrieved 2008-07-30.
- ^ Rossiter, Marie. "Tight-rope walker breaks record at Kings Island". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved 2008-07-04.
- ^ Kings Island website - A Very Brady Reunion
External links
- Official Website
- Kings Island at RCDB
- Kings Island Central (formerly PKICentral) (Fan Website)
- KIExtreme (Fan Website)
- King's Island Ghosts
- Banana Splits in Hocus Pocus Park and Fan Pictures of Kings Island c1972
- Northern Cincinnati Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Diamondback Media Site