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KICentral was started back in 2003 by Dane Thomas as a dedicated website to host pictures he took at Kings Island. Fast forward to 2022, KICentral is still a very active forum and continues to add to its main site the park news, and document the history of Kings Island. Media Director Brad Perdue for KICentral spent hundreds of hours over the last few years updating and reformatting the site's historical timeline (thanks to the help from KI historian members) and updating other pages on the main site. He continues to add thousands of pictures to its picture galleries every season so KICentral has a good collection of Kings Island history documented in picture format. KICentral is a unique park website as it not only has an extensive collection of past park history, but continues to document Kings Island as events and changes happen in real-time. After KIE decided to close the doors on KIExtreme, they were gracious enough to share with us their collection of pictures and park audio they called KITunes. KICentral has now built a page with the KITunes audio files and they can be found on our main site under the Park History menu called Past & Present Park Audio. https://kicentral.com/parkhistory/past-present-park-audio/. We have imported all of the pictures as well, but being such an extensive collection it will take us some time to integrate them into the active galleries you see on our main site. If you have old pictures or audio files you wish to share with KIC, you can submit them here: https://kicentral.com/kic-photo-submission/ KICentral thanks every one of you for your continued support of our website and your contribution to the forums!

I had a terrific time at CS - as always. It really is a top-tier event. IMO it far surpasses other events - due to the comradery. It succeeds in prompting bonding among attendees on a more friendly level. As far as no posts on KIC - the fact the event was jam packed probably had something to do with it. I’m exhausted today! (That’s always the sign of a great coaster event.) Also, as a side note, it seems to me that soooooo many enthusiasts have a personal page, or site, or blog, or Instagram, or Twitter etc. Too many garnering for their own likes, clicks etc. So although there’s probably still demand for central hub of info like KIC, people with their own outlets/agendas likely save posts/pics for that. I don’t really “get” the influencer stuff - but there’s that too I suppose. I personally made a concentrated effort to simply enjoy CS this year rather than trying to photo-document every single second for myself. Makes a big difference when you just soak up the experience. It really was a great time. Looking forward to next year! Kudos to Don and the KI team. The hard work shows!

I’ve said it before, and it’ll say it again: OH. MY. GOD. https://www.kingsislandgear.com/products/phantom-theater-poster

The mower might mean more than you think. I don’t believe the grass on The Vortex plot of land has ever been cut, but I noticed a section of it was mowed earlier today. I think it is plausible that the equipment could be used for taking soil samples in preparation for the planning of a new attraction. I think soil samples are taken 2-3 years before a new attraction opens, so it would make sense if Kings Island was planning to open a Vortex replacement in 2022 or 2023.

This is what I would want the most and makes sense to get a good spinning flat like that. Barrel themed for whatever goes there to give a sort of return of Der Spinning Keggers. Either teacups style as that was originally the type of ride it was, or even a tilt-a-whirl with a barrel theme would work well. A Zamperla Nebulaz would look nice in Oktoberfest too as others have suggested. I'd probably go with a Glockenspiel/cuckoo clock theme as it has a gear type appearance and would fit into the German theme of the area.

Well, personally I deal with enough fools in my everyday life without searching them out on Facebook.

Having been around KIC for almost 19 years I have seen a bunch of stuff here & throughout many sites. KIC It really is an extremely pleasant & knowledgeable fan base. Members like: Shaggy, Terpy (his posts still make us smarter even today), BoddaH1994, Silver2005, flightoffear1996 and numerous others that I can't think of right now have contributed much in the past & some still contribute today. Yes, there are differing opinions but if everyone thought the same way it would be boring (there is another site that is like this that anyone can Review). As disco2000 mentioned, enthusiast sites on FB are incredibly annoying: "Is the park busy?" "What is the weather like in July?" "Will this ride be running next month?" "Why isn't this ride running?" "Why is traffic backed up on the causeway?" ...the nauseating list goes on AND there are multiple questions DAILY for each. I think sites like KIC are currently viewed less due to not being as easily accessible on a phone as FB, Twitter etc. Probably an app thing. It's not a knock on KIC at all, it just is what it is. KIC is a fantastic free site that will get more traction moving forward as FB gets clogged with useless crap. Now if a new coaster starts to get hinted, watch the traffic go up! BTW- any truth to DB getting struck by lightning Saturday?? It was rumored on FB.....

I have a theory. Granted its unlikely to happen, but one can dream... Maybe the reason Sling Shot was removed is because perhaps (just maybe) the sky ride will be returning. The north station was about where Sling Shot is, and the south station is still standing, so it is a possibility.... Just an idea....

Well, I guess nobody picked up on the most important news of the weekend-DoorDash now apparently delivers to rides. Carry on.

Likely means nothing and I don't have pics bc I can't have my phone while working, but I have been noticing a little bit of activity in The Vortex plot lately from the tower. A couple weeks ago, some gray trailers popped up. Obviously those could mean nothing, but its not wrong to speculate. Earlier today, I noticed a few pieces of equipment near the trailers. I believe I saw a digger and a mower (which obviously you need to mow the grass so the mower likely doesn't mean anything). I also saw people down in there as well. The equipment was there for like an hour and then they left the site. I believe one of the trees was also cut down. Kinda interesting, but likely doesn't mean anything so trying not to get my hopes up for anything major yet.

It’s already available at the Emporium

^He laid it out in the post.

It's going to be groovy

Cool as the other side of the pillow!

Amen!! Drives me crazy. Same around the tower. Weedy mulch is not hiding things. My hope is that they are leaving things accessible until all tech is done. They have a whole week to get this looking better before 28th

I have a feeling that this is going to be really cool!!

There a lot more to this than most thought. They are now installing big sign plaques in the planter beds in addition to the engraved pavers. They haven’t even started planting yet, so not sure when this will be open. Hopefully by this weekend, but it’s impressive how much they are adding to this area.

I like Inside Universal a lot. It is laid out very similar to this forum and has a lot of good information.

The Adventure Express final tunnel audio was my ringtone for a while thanks to the audio gallery on KIExtreme. I'm so, so happy that they're being preserved.

We had a great time. It was great to hang out and enjoy CS with you. Can’t wait to do it again. Maybe next year the race can happen. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This may make some people happy and my a upset some, but I thought I would share anyways. I am a teenage girl, which sounds weird to say, that has always been fascinated by the history of Kings Island. I actually did my huge research project on it! The information this forum has supplied me with for my project and own enjoyment is tremendous. I have gone to Kings Island every weekend since it has opened, and sharing facts from this forum always fascinates who I am with. As a girl who has been watching those Kings Island history videos since I was 6, I have obtained so much info. The first hand accounts and wonderful stories on this forum are something you don’t really see anywhere else. I really won’t allow this forum to go to waste and hope that this is viewed as another generation sharing the history behind this beautiful park.

Guess they don’t want to build another rollercoaster that sinks into the ground /s like Hawaiian said there was a bulldozer or something that cleared out some trees near the service road entrance I believe. In addition I also saw a lot of activity near Banshees pretzel roll and the woods by AE.

Love it. My “concept” would be there are essentially 5 theme areas. International Street (with a “cross street” at the top that connects Adventure Express and Hanks as “Fiesta Plaza” over to (former-now Panda Express) Chick Fil a as Asia Courtyard with new landscaping) Oktoberfest goes from existing all the way to The Bat, Coney Midway that now includes the walkway to RiverTown with some new kid-friendly flats , and RiverTown Junction that flows into CampSnoopy. Each of these areas would tie back into Cinci History or typography. Get rid of ActionZone and unify the whole of Oktoberfest with new landscaping and banners (like we’re there years before). The new section could be more modern to reduce costs and be accomplished mainly through surface treatments and decor.

The ride ops on Friday and Saturday were mocking the train basically. My favorite quote from one of the operators I heard was "I'm walking backwards slowly and I'm STILL winning!"

Here is a new blog that goes through the park’s 50+ year history. https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2022/april/a-look-back-at-50-years-of-fun-and-memories-at-kings-island?fbclid=IwAR2pxV_BkCGIr1zXRI1eOeR4ZEc_dwemPu_JLzlbMMS7eHbNsPWjJOeKdMQ

More importantly, I’m glad you and everyone else were okay!!

My mom and I were standing near one of the shops on International Street and I watched the lightning bolt hit the Royal Fountains. I'm surprised that it wasn't the Eiffel Tower or something else that got struck.

Another good one is Disboard. There is a Universal section in it that has a lot of information and gets a lot of replies.

Also a Flat ride like the one in front of Jolley Rancher Remix would look great here! Maybe themed to Banshee since you could get a good view from it.

I do think this Zamperla Tea Cup would be a good addition for a Keggers style addition (the one that looks like Spinning Barrels) in the Slingshot space. https://www.zamperla.com/products/tea-cup/

There isn`t much room there, but they could maybe add in a flat ride. Or as others have said, add in some landscaping and keep it open. I would love for Boo Blasters to be turned into a reimagined Phantom Theater. Combine that with maybe some new kids rides in Planet Snoopy and maybe a Music Express ride, and that would be a pretty sweet collection of new rides/attractions.

So. Much. Cleaner. Without it. I hope they just clear it and landscape, or use the concrete pad for some seating and open up the view to Banshe. Even if they did a matching, cemetery style fence and added a few grave stones closer to make it feel like an “overlook” to Banshee. Personally I think all of Action Zone makes more sense as part of a much larger Oktoberfest and that would be a step toward that.

Wow! That looks amazing! KI did a great job!

Appreciate all the hard work being put into the site. Loved checking out all the old audio!

Unlike steel coasters wooden coasters have indefinite lifespans for as long as they're cared for and popular. One hundred years or more for The Beast are possible. The only way I could ever see the brakes being lessened is if they were to buy a set of Millennium Flyers trains for it which once retrofitted properly are easier on wooden track.

For me, I was too busy participating in Coasterstock to post updates. This is my 7th Coasterstock and is something that I look forward to every year. As enthusiasts, we have a heightened awareness of all things KI. Being able to participate in Coasterstock, I think, gives a small feeling of "ownership" or being a "stakeholder" because you really are given royal treatment. I can't describe the feeling of being able to be in the engineer car on the KI & MV RR--to stand in front of the train for a photo. To be within feet of the gear/cog and chain of the second lift hill of The Beast. To be in the helix and watch the wires bounce as a train barrels around. To hear the horns when coasters are testing in the early AM hours, or see wet pavers from the washing crew. I really hope a Winter Coasterstock can be a thing! And for those who were unable to get a ticket--I am sorry! Don shared at lunch Saturday that the demand was there for 10k tickets.

@DonHelbig and team did an excellent job as always. I thought the guest speakers were great both days. Mike Koontz Q&A is always a highlight. I enjoy how candid he is.

Kind of random but at the 20:10 mark in video, Koontz announced his goal is for Diamondback to be painted next year!

I was there! Was a great event! Btw I was the one who asked about the Timberwolf concerts and what Mike said is the concerts this year is a test and if they are successful (which I think they will be) they will hold them again next year. I also was the one who asked about the crypt building! I also was excited when Mike said he wants an upgrade to Boo Blasters which I hope happens! More specifically a new version of Phantom Theater.

Beast is having an identity crisis today.

I was in absolute awe. I have been riding this ride for 34 years, but the last few years I've gotten off sore and beaten. I did not expect the absolutely smooth ride yesterday, and I swear my mouth was gaping the whole ride (I'm glad I didn't swallow a bug!) I've stayed in the front few cars for the past few years, but I'm going to try the back again. I'm thrilled! (Which I guess is the purpose of the ride, right?)

So I decided to take one of my friends to the park today. It was her first time there. We parked in preferred parking and got a really good spot. Before entry into the park we we to the restroom. I should’ve known at this point that it wasn’t going to be an ok day as I ended up getting sick. Once done I thought I can tough this out for her. We visited 2 shops and we saw some merch that we would love to get but was like we’ll get them at end of visit so we not toting it around all day. After the shops we noticed there wasn’t anyone stopping us from walking the park so we went and got on boo blasters. She wolloped me with a score of 1250 to 990. Then as we walked around to db was reminded that it was a coaster event going on and moseyed along to the train where I saw my friend T. H. From coaster crew and caught up with him for a little before moving along. As we pass beast and the ol Vortex location to the back of coney maul and my friend was dying to do gobblet toss. Out of the 15 balls we won 5 small stuffed animals. We went over to area 57 (I think that’s what it’s called) and those rides hadn’t opened yet. So we meandered to the arcade then got on the scrambler as it was running. Had fun on that ride and went to the Eiffel Tower and rode elevator to the top so she could see what all was in the park. Afterwards we went back down and got a drink wristband. First choice of the day was red cream soda no ice. (I despise ice as it wastes the drink). Then she needed to use the restroom again so we went to the base of coney. Then it was time to eat so we went to coney bbq. I had burnt ends with sidewinder fries, spicy bbq sauce and vitamin water. During the meal which I took my time eating my friend kept asking if I was ok. I didn’t want her to worry so I told her I was fine but I was just at the start of not being ok. Next we went and rode Adventure Express. It was tougher than I remembered but I still had fun. On our way to Action Zone I asked if she would like to cut through festhaus so I could get some air. She once again as we went inside need the restroom again. As we exited we went to ice scream zone for refills and I got a lemonade with no ice. I noticed it went down faster than normal. So we put our stuff in a locker by Banshee and went to ride Congo falls. I got quickly annoyed as surrounding us was teenage boys promoting their friend to line jump to catch up to them and a bunch of elementary/middle school girls pushing and shoving each other. Once it was our turn to ride, I’ll be durned if the lil angels didn’t swarm the boat and take our spots before I could even step into the boat. The ride op had a heck of a time getting these heathens under control and body count correctly into the boat. That boat leaves and we were able to catch the next boat. As the boat started up the lift hill, it stalled and we had to wait for the lift hill to start again. We finally got our ride in and noticed the entrance to Congo falls was closed. We went to get our stuff out of the locker and as we was passing ice scream zone, that something felt off. I couldn’t tell if it was the heat or my blood pressure but something was off kilter. So we asked the folks at ice scream zone to get first aid. While waiting, they gave me 3 cups of ice water that also went faster than I expected. The first aid truck picked us up and drove us back to first aid where my oxygen was 98, my heart rate was 138, and they measured my BP twice cause it was elevated. They gave me a glass of water that I downed, a cold wrap for the back of my neck, my nose bled for about 5min and I almost got sick again. After I started feeling ok I had them drive us to my car and we drove home. Moral of the story is don’t let stubborn pride to show your friend a nice time at someplace they never been, outrank your health for the day.

Helbig shakes the defender and slaps the shot in the goal!!! 🫳[emoji441] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The beauty of Coasterstock is keeping crowds under control so you aren’t getting like one ride in during ERT. Holiday World for example, 3 hour wait for a ride on Voyage at night. Not really enjoyable for anyone.