Delirium13

Not sure where you are getting the decade and half between waterpark expansions, since Boomerang Bay was new for 2004, only 8 years ago. And as far as inflation goes, if the $4 million figure is correct, then inflation has only added about $857,000. Soak City is going to be a far more extensive overhaul of the waterpark than Boomerang Bay was. http://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm

This song immediately popped into my head when I saw that picture... Thanks again for all the photos!

Ah beat me to it! I think this is how it should have been all along. From what I saw last year (far from an official attendance figure, I know) there was almost never anyone going to the theater. I only can recall two times I saw a group of people walk back to the theater, the employee taking the tickets looked bored to death. Anyways glad to hear an attraction that was once free is free again, and a good way to generate interest for the walk through in my opinion. I may check it out on a hot day now that it's free, too bad the motion seats are gone though.

Such a shame they replaced Alien Encounter with that.

Happy Birthday Beast, I cannot wait for this summer!

I'm with Browntggrr and would have said KCKC, Rivertown would be a much better place if that ride was still there. But of the remaining water rides I'd say my favorite is WWC. One of the reasons being is that I love how it is a fairly different experience each time you ride, when I was younger I would ride over and over again with family and friends to see who would get the wettest each time we rode. One of my favorite park memories was years ago riding WWC with friends over and over again at night (luckily we had towels in the car). It is a perfect ride to go on with others and even those in your group who choose not to ride can still have fun by trying to hit you with the water cannons. And of course, last but definitely not least, it has an awesome location back in the woods, the ride feels isolated from the park, though Diamondback now makes an appearance or two. I don't ride it nearly as much as I used to, but I have a blast every time I do. Honorable mention for Race for Your Life Charlie Brown, another ride that I have had plenty of good times one and that gets you just wet enough, I just wish we had a bigger log flume still like KCKC. Congo Falls doesn't count for me because there isn't much to the ride other than the drop (I still enjoy it though), whereas KCKC took you up and snaked you around the tree tops before its big drop.

I do have a few more pictures (only like 4 I think), they aren't anything too special. My dad took them when his friend took him flying and snapped a few pictures of KI for me, but they're all cell phone pictures and with him not being a big enthusiast they're basically just overview pics like the one above, he didn't know any of the new stuff to look out for since he hasn't been to the park in a few years. However, WindSeeker is in all but one I believe and Soak City can be seen in the distance in a couple if that counts for anything haha. I can post them though if you'd like.

The metal detectors or at least the shade thing were taken down fairly recently, compare those pictures to this aerial shot from March 21st (pardon the cell phone quality picture): Uploaded with ImageShack.us You can just barely see the metal detector shade thing in the right side of the picture. So if I were to venture a (fairly uneducated) guess, that with them taking it down this late in the offseason, I'd say it's safe to say the metal detectors are gone. Keeping my fingers crossed! Edit - Also great pictures by the way CoasterGeek, thanks for sharing!

Looks like the new Haunt experience will be themed after one of Dick Kinzel's nightmares

Agreed, that is one of my favorite Kings Island photos I have ever seen, really gives a feel for what International Street was like back then, it looks amazing!

Great pictures, thanks for sharing! The Adventure Express one stood out to me as well, I think the colors on the leaves plus the fact that it's a great picture of a ride that doesn't always get the attention it deserves in my opinion. I agree with others here and would love to see the rest!

Kings Island EXTENDS SPECIAL TRIAL OFFER TO 2012 BEACH WATERPARK PASSHOLDERS http://www.visitkingsisland.com/article/media-center/Kings-Island-extends-special-trial-offer-to-2012-Beach-Waterpark-passholders Beach season passholders can use their passes visit Kings Island for free on one day and upgrade for $49.99. Sad to see the Beach close, but this a smart strategy by KI I think to gain some new passholders, possibly for years to come.

It's ugly in real life too.

The Beast honestly never gets old for me, I love the ride so much. Great during the day, amazing at night. It's a must ride (usually at least twice) every visit.

Looking good! From Kings Island's Facebook

According to Greg Scheid's Twitter, concrete work on the new wave pool is complete and it is named: Tidal Wave Bay.

Amazing picture, thanks!

The first time I rode SOB was in 2001 when I was 10 and I loved the ride and for the next couple of seasons after that it remained one of my favorite rides in the park. But, as Gordon Bombay said, as I grew older and taller, the ride experience only got worse. I continued to ride it at least once per visit hoping I would have the same great experience I had in 2001 again, but that never happened. When the ride reopened loopless and with the "new" trains there was not much reason to ride it anymore. The drop out of the station and the first drop were always fun to me but after that it would bounce you around through helix after helix. Son of Beast is beyond (and not worth) saving at this point and in my opinion they're just waiting to tear it down because of the cost. I'm looking forward to the day that the situation is resolved and hopefully a new coaster stands in Son of Beast's spot.

I drove by the park today and I think the new paint looks great. The cobra roll and loop (track only) appear to be finished or close to it, I like the change.

^ I contacted them a few days after ordering mine and they told me it would probably take about a week for them to make the shirt and ship it. I got a confirmation email saying it had shipped a couple of days ago and got my shirts delivered today. I was pleasantly surprised, they were wrapped nicely in the box, had a few French Chews thrown in and an additional shirt for free.

I never knew Lion Country Safari and the International Restaurant were open year round. Very cool, thanks again for sharing all these brochures!

I really like that so far he seems to be answering a lot of people's questions and is fairly candid about it all, his tweets are very interesting and are getting me more excited for this season.

Ah if only that area looked as good today, I really miss that ride, Rivertown would make a whole lot more sense today if it was still around. Thanks for the pictures. Edit - Not sure if this has been posted here before, but I did a quick Google search for Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal after seeing that pictured and found this video of some great raw footage from 1997, amazing how much has changed since then.

One minute of ride, one minute of trying to lock into position for loading/unloading.

I guess it's fair to argue that unleashing his son on the park was one of the worst things old Beast ever did to Kings Island.