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If I had a dollar for every time you've mentioned POV, I could buy a boat!

There's still two days left before the end of the week.

I don't think we can all appreciate enough the work he and maintenance staff does for us (the KI guests) every day. Thank you Tom for your years of hard work, along with the rest of the maintenance staff for everything you do to keep the KI rides in such great shape year round. KICentral is keeping the whole KI family in our thoughts during the difficult time.

@DonHelbig is out here interacting with and lowkey roasting some of the community. Love to see it!

If an establishment asks us to wear masks, we should respect that policy instead of looking for childish excuses to break said policy.

that puts you in the same class as the smoker. Two wrongs do not make it right!

Not really Orion related but, I’m honored

It did and here’s a photo of the restraints. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not trying to sound rude but can these all be lumped into one thread?

IMO in the middle of a midway is the wrong place, but if someone gets winded or lightheaded making them hike a few hundred yards to the next designated area is not reasonable either. We don’t need people collapsing in the midways. It is not all that different that traveling on the highway. It is best to pull off at the next exit but if your vehicle is shaking or smoke billowing out the hood you pull off on the shoulder and assess the situation.

It exists. It's real. And it's spectacular! We'll be sharing photos and video of one of the most anticipated new rides in the world when the time is right to do so.

Did you know at one time a CCI was proposed for KI?https://coasternation.com/long-lost-proposed-kings-island-dueling-coaster-rediscovered/

Rest in peace, Tom. Thank you for keeping all of us safe at Kings Island. Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

There will be tones of people who don’t respect the policy. Just like the tones of people who don’t respect the smoking, shirt, line jumping, cell phone and numerous other policies throughout the park. It’s sad but the park needs to do a better job. When I worked at the park yeah they told us to tell people when we saw them breaking the rules but we had no real power. After 5 guests not listening to you, you start to get discouraged and not want to say anything anymore. Especially when so many of the guests were drunk or tbh just trashy people who would start confrontation over being told to put a shirt on. Cedar Fair needs to do a better job sticking up for their employees if they want them to enforce their policies. But tbh I think they really only care about the phone policy.

@gforce1994 I think the point that some of the members are trying to say, is that even though masks will be the parks policy, and CDC recommendations, there are going to be people who walk in and not respect that policy.

It is with great sadness that Kings Island mourns the loss of its manager of rides maintenance, Tom Dillingham, who passed away Thursday at the age of 61. More on the KIBlog: https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2020/june/kings-island-mourns-the-passing-of-tom-dillingham

Yes, because those signs were directly transposed from Cincinnati's Coney Island. My statement that the new sign is the same as the one that Cedar Point installed 16 years ago, and that any relation to Cuddle Up's sign is likely a coincidence, still stands.

New cars on Scrambler. Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

Here y'all go https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2020/june/kings-islands-scrambler-gets-new-cars

Scrambler getting new cars

Backwards Racer would be amazing, but I'd also be happy if they restored the ride to its original paint scheme.

Hopefully it is a backwards side again on Racer!

I don’t like wearing masks but the thing is Kings Island submitted one their plans that they were going to require masks to be worn. Masks are part of the reason Kings Island will be allowed to open so soon. Regardless of how you feel about the potential to save another person by choosing to not wear your mask at Kings Island you are jeopardizing your and all of our abilities to enjoy Kings Island in the future. There are so many Karen’s in the world. People will record it and people will post it. The government could easily shut the park back down and say never mind too many people not wearing the masks. It’s not a political discussion, your being asked to do something as part of your decision to go to Kings Island this season. Something no one has forced you to do. Respect the process and enjoy the rides.

Hopefully this time next year things will be back to normal or at least almost back to normal. I hope a vaccine is proven effective soon and mass produced, so it can be administered. I also hope people don’t refuse to take the coronavirus vaccine.

^Well....

I am still sad that the rides were removed. I personally think it was the wrong decision. But Coney survived the rides being removed once before. The saving grace is the pool (and next door Riverbend, where Coney actually operates the concessions and receives parking revenue, although with all the canceled shows this year, that will be substantially less than in past years). I would like to think that Coney will be able to expand the water park aspect and add in some unique water slides to the market. Stuff that Kings Island does not have at Soak City. Time will tell though.

Love the sign! Even in the midst of COVID-19, the park still spends time and money to enhance the park! I am a sucker for small improvements like this. I love all of the TLC Coney Mall has been getting recently. Ever since Coney BBQ in 2018, Coney Mall has consistently gotten more attention than any other area of the park. And it will probably continue to get more attention with the removal of Vortex.

I have quite a “Firehawk” back-story many of you may be interested in hearing. Now that the ride is “gone” I feel its ok to share… I sat on this for 15 years now... LOL! In 2003, I was invited to go to Six Flags Worlds of Adventure with the Paramount’s Kings Island Marketing Team on a “field trip.” Jeff Siebert, David Mandt, Maureen (then) Kaiser (then the parks’ brand-new PR Director) and I spent some time taking in the park… it was a great day. Specifically we all were there to ride X-Flight (later to become Firehawk) and it was then that I learned its true story. Now, the KI Marketing Team was stellar - and never divulged any company information... However, after rides had opened, they would sometimes share the stories of how the ride came to be... Well, the rumors all about the "X-Flight/Firehawk" have persisted since, so here’s your official verification… As many as you may know already… Vekoma first partnered with Paramount Parks to develop “Stealth” at California’s Great America. Both KI and KD were already slated to get the 2nd & 3rd versions of the coaster in 2002. The issues Stealth faced in development, coupled with the fact that Kings Island was under great scrutiny with their own bevvy of Son of Beast issues, Paramount Parks (specifically the park’s GM - Tim Fisher) made the decision to pass on the exclusive rights to the coaster and not install. Vekoma, already in the manufacturing process, then offered the options to Six Flags who opted to quickly install the rides at Six Flags Worlds of Adventure and Six Flags America – respectively. (As I understood, the routing & delivery of the rides was already scheduled – so rather than further complicate matters, Six Flags simply added them to the 2 parks closest to KI & KD.) Paramount, who had funded Vekoma’s development of the ride, likely profited from the sale of the two coasters to Six Flags. If memory serves me, it wasn’t finalized, but the working “theme” of the Flyer for KI was to be “Mission Impossible.” After the coaster installs for KI & KD were cancelled in late 2000, Paramount Parks R&D in LA immediately switched gears to develop a ride for KI to take the spot vacated in 2002. Tim Fisher was behind much of the push to “modernize” Kings Island and removed what he considered “eyesore” and “dated” rides. That’s why KCKC was demolished and Tomb Raider came into origin – as a direct reaction to the cancellation of the flyer. Ironically, King Cobra at KI was originally going to be demolished in 1999 – and not open with Action Zone. But once the development of “Stealth” began – KI opted to hold on to KC for two more seasons in order to swap a coaster for coaster… The “new” “more vibrant” paint job that KC was given when Action Zone opened was a decision to mask what Tim Fisher considered an “eyesore” by that point in time. After Action Zone opened, King Cobra was again slated for removal in 2001 as preparation for the Vekoma Flyer to be added in its spot. Even after the flyer was cancelled, KC still met the fate of the wrecking ball after 2 years of the park attempting to sell it. It was on this day that I learned that Delirium & Scooby Doo’s installation in 2003 were a direct result of PKI passing of the Vekoma Flyer. This trip was also the first time I heard the name “Dave Cobb” mentioned… Mr Cobb (unknown to me at the time) was already developing “Italian Job: Stunt Track” for KI’s 2005 season. I met him later, when KI first installed the ride and learned that the removal of the Antiques and Flyers were a result of Tim Fisher's initiative to modernize the park. Maureen Kaiser (with whom I rode X-Flight at SFWOA that very day) stayed with KI into 2007, and oversaw the PR of the coaster's installation before passing the torch to Don Helbig. Tim Fisher (who by then had transitioned to Paramount's Carowinds) left the company in 2006 when Paramount Parks was sold to Cedar Fair. However - ironically - it was while he was at Carowinds that the park relocated "Stealth" from Paramount's Great America to become "Borg:Assimilator" at PCow. Mr Fisher joined Cedar Fair Parks as the COO in late 2017... So there you have it… a lot of the PKI rides installed in the early 2000’s were actually a domino-effect result of X Flight not going to Kings Island as intended.

Don Helbig follows me on Instagram. He likes my posts every once in a while. It's an honor lol.

Yep; it went over the beginning of the ride (where Express' trains plunge into tunnel one) and then under the end. You can see both crosses in this old photo, courtesy Chris Gray.

Those pads made them the most claustrophobic restraints ever.

So, how high is that kid sitting on the right side of the train?

And that's from before they added the "ear pads" sort of like those on Invertigo. I recall they used to keep Advil packets like what First Aid gives you at the photo booth at the exit.

First Rider event is July 1st according to email. I would assume they would open it July 2nd.

They're all KI coasters that never were created linking back to Coaster Nation. I created a thread focusing on Amusement Park railroads where I continued to add chapters and updated information whenever I had a new topic to discuss. @TombraiderTy did the same thing with his History of Haunt thread. If there was a giant thread called "KI Coasters that never Were" or something where @gforce1994 could update with new chapters and such it would look better in my opinion.

Why? Completely different subjects.

New cars for scrambler

I must've missed the part where you were in charge of KI security. My mistake!

Uh, sorry to burst your bubble, but when the rules say masks are required, they must be worn. Just because other parks were lax, does not mean it’s the same at Kings Island. We must accept having to wear masks, it’s the new normal.

Court ruled in favor of Kalahari and they reopened within an hour of the ruling. https://www.fox19.com/2020/06/12/ohio-water-park-closed-by-state-covid-health-order-can-reopen-now-judge-rules/

As I said previously, it doesn’t matter if other places make masks optional, they’re required at KI. In order for us to have fun, while being safe, we must wear masks. That is now the standard.

I just don't want militant King Ding Dong in my queue. But if you've just got allergies and can't wear a mask...get in line! It's okay.

I was under the impression that the site is supposed to promote park policies and not argue them.

All I know is that the current trains hurt...

New Dodgem's sign for 2020. Blog: https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2020/june/new-dodgem-entrance-sign-installed-at-kings-island

While Peanuts will never, ever hold a candle to the HB or Nick themeing, I do think the park is missing a HUGE opportunity to add a Peanuts-themed dark ride. Its a property with existing, successful story lines - thanks to the annual repeats of television specials "Its the Great Pumpkin", "A Charlie Brown Christmas" etc. They could restore, and improve upon, the original "TV Set" exterior and theme the interior to the different scenes from the seasonal televisions specials. Frankly, its a win win replacement theme, and frankly, would likely enchant kids on whom the current kids area overlay is lost. I would love it if they re-converted the current Boo Blasters attraction to a Peanuts themed boat ride. But the reality is... the reasons that the "boat" conveyance system was eliminated was due to the complications of dealing with water inside a building, constant circulatory upkeep, deterioration due to humidity, and mold & mildew issues. Also, the decision to add the "doom buggy" style conveyance system was due to the need to force the perspective of the riders in Phantom Theater. (To deny riders the ability to look around and see how the tricks were being done.) I once asked the park execs back in Paramount days about the decision to remove Phantom Theater and add SDATHC - specifically in a year when they added a major thrill ride (Delirium.) I was told that, at the time, they primarily considered the SDATHC conversation as a necessary improvement to an aged and maintenance-heavy attraction. They coupled it with another install in order to pull people from both the thrill-seeking, and family oriented audiences(obviously.) Basically, they felt like updating a dark ride in the kids area was not a big enough marketing draw to see an attendance and revenue increase - but the deterioration of the ride necessitated it be changed.

You're welcome! The map that was included is how I remember all of the park's maps being up until around 2000 when they switched from brochures to the six-fold maps. Like I said, somewhere at my parents' house is treasure trove of those old map brochures. When I interviewed for my job at Guest Services, one of the questions was why do you want to work in Guest Services specifically. I told them that I'd been coming to the park for 30 years and have such a love for it, I wanted to share my knowledge and love with the guests. I also wanted to work there because it was in the A/C and I thought I'd have more of a chance to interface with Don, as I was really wanting to get into the media department. Also, here's another little treasure I have hanging in my basement. I can't believe it's been 18 years. I remember the day I got this poster so vividly. It was pouring down rain and my dad and I were sitting under an umbrella between what was then the glass blower shop and the soft serve pretzel stand.

Could we get away from B&M for a while? Not that there is anything wrong with them, but there’s so many other great manufacturers out there.