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Standing within' 3 feet of 1974


standbyme
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Great thread! I like all of them and come on every day for it. :D

Thank you for taking the time to tell me! :)

With the 2011 photo though, one thing I’ve never understood is why there are telescopes at the foot of the fountain.

You and me both! :P

Today’s photo set is the complete opposite of yesterdays…whereas in yesterdays set it was hard to find hardly anything interesting to look at, in today’s it’s hard to know where to start!

1974

malla.jpg

Coney Mall in 1974 was perfection.

2011

mallb.jpg

Excluding International Street, I would think that Coney Mall has the most remnants left over from 1974.

mallc.jpg

malld.jpg

Where would I rather be standing today…1974 or 2011? Is there ANYONE reading this that would choose 2011? I don’t care if I wouldn’t have Flight of Fear or Firehawk...I would trade those in a heartbeat for that amazing landscaping…not to mention Skee Ball, The Flying Eagles…and NO Subway!

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2011!!! I'll trade Skee Ball for a chance to ride FoF everyday! I never got to ride The Flying Eagles, but I'm pretty sure I'd prefer Firehawk.

About Subway, we love to walk by there and smell the bread baking (we never get anything there except water). I've read here about a Wonder bread outlet and the smells coming out of there, think of Subway providing an updated version of that smell sensation.

Great shots and thread, thanks again.

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agreed, best one yet. I'll take 2011 every day. The only aspect I would trade from the 1974 pic is the pain job on the Monster, Rattle and Racer.

The Flying Eagles were in a different part of the park during my youth, while the bumper cars were always a joy; I wish the Flying Eagles were back by The Vortex still, rather than a basketball game, but I'd still take the bumper cars over the Flying Eagles.

the trees have grown up nicely, FoF and Firehawk have been great additions to the park. From a landscping point of view, there are more of the original islands in place than I would have guessed. however, the removal/alterations of some of the islands makes this part of the park much more functional. For several reasons this is a high gathering spot in Kings Island. 1st, its kind of central to both the River town/Vortex, the Flight of Fear/Firehawk area, and the Action Zone areas. It makes for a nice meeting spot b/w the 3 main areas of the amusement park. Additionally, Coney Island is a great blend of family entertainment. However, such a blend leads to certain activities that some in the family will love, and others can't tolerate. I can't/won't ride the Monster, Scrambler or anything that spins that much. Just the thought of riding a Tea Cups type ride makes me sick. My wife and 3 year old child love them. I love The Racers, not everyone likes the height or the ups & downs it takes you on. Some love the games and video arcade, I haven't touched them since I was a kid, when my 3 year old grows up, he'll likely spend some time there. Additionally, there are several lunch/dinner type dinning places, skyline, subway the french fry place, etc...

If they left the islands of 1974 intact today, this area wouldn't even be feasable for the amount of traffic it sees. There are almost always people taking comfort in the shade of the trees, eating lunch around the islands, or wating for other members of their party to meet up with them from various activities around the coney mall. The 1974 islands are prettier, and the trees would have grown up regardless, but the 2011 layout is much more functional. Its obvious to me why the changes were made, but that paint job on the floor of the monster sure would be nice to get back.

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Amazing picture, I love coming back every day to see these and that may be my favorite so far. I wish they could have kept the charm (and Flying Eagles) from the 1973 picture. Combine that amazing landscaping with Flight of Fear and Firehawk and the area would be awesome!

Thanks again for all the work you put into this!

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I could almost smell the water and feel the spray from that picture of Keelboat Kanal (waay back a few posts)! To see how that area has changed is somewhat 'Twilight Zone' to me. That was my first-ever 'drop' ride back in 1980. It was as intimidating as it looks in this view. (Great job capturing virtually every color in the spectrum with the 'modern' shot... had it not been for that purple flower, you might not have pulled it off! :lol:

Awesome, very meaningful thread, Standbyme!

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These Picture are awsome!! Great work. I love coming to this thread everyday and seeing a new picture, They are all great! I really neat one would be the Action Zone now and then how it looked before. But great work! I look forward to these picture, Its really neat what your doing. :)

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Agree that this is definitely one of my favorite pictures and struggle with whether I'd prefer to be in 2011 or 1974. I guess I'll take 2011 as my current park for the added thrill rides, but wish I could step back in time to 1974 at least for a day. Things I like about the 1974 picture:

- The landscaping, family ride type and density, arcade/skeeball, and food option in that area really add to the old midway feel that I think would have been special to experience

- I prefer The Racer in many aspects - final bunny hill (ok, this has long been a pet peeve of mine that the final drop on both Racer and Beastie were removed), color scheme, open brake runs, and things you can't really see like no seat dividers/headrests/individual restraints

- Even though I don't remember them in this location, I really wish we still had the Flying Eagles

One thing that I'm wondering (and hope some of the photo historians may be able to answer for me) is whether the grass islands and trees were there at opening or added sometime between 1972 and 1974. I swear I've seen photo's of this area without them (although it could have been an artist rendition for all I know).

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So, every time I said that Skyline really did have a serving area in back, I was right! I knew it!!

Fun fact: If you look in the concrete in front of Skyline, you can see the spots where they filled in the holes left by the wooden fences that separated the lines. Some of the concrete touchups have even come out, so you can see wood through them.

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Guest TombraiderTy

One thing that I'm wondering (and hope some of the photo historians may be able to answer for me) is whether the grass islands and trees were there at opening or added sometime between 1972 and 1974. I swear I've seen photo's of this area without them (although it could have been an artist rendition for all I know).

The "islands" have been there as long as the park has, as seen below:

0021jpg.jpg

April 29, 1972. Photo courtesy Paul Holzschuher.

Regarding the '74/'11 comparison, I think this is one of my favorite shots so far. I like how similar the shots are and how many buildings and attractions have survived. Once again, thanks for taking the time, energy, etc. to put all of this together, J.D. :)

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2011!!! I'll trade Skee Ball for a chance to ride FoF everyday!

I'll take 2011 every day.

I'd rather choose 2011 though, because I do love FOF and Firehawk.

I guess I'll take 2011 as my current park for the added thrill rides...

BOY! Could I have been more wrong? I honestly thought that there wasn’t a prayer in the world that after looking at the amazing landscaping…plus how “uncluttered” the 1974 shot was, that ANYONE would choose 2011! (Am I out of touch or what?!)

I guess Flight of Fear & Diamondback does have more fans than I thought. :)

In today’s photo set if I had only given you the "accurate" 2011 version you would be sitting there saying “Is that all there is?!”…so today I have also included a “If you had x-ray vision” version.

This photo, like a lot of the Lion Country Safari shots was a challenge to match. To match this one I had to use a few aerial shots…I had to use the fence, tree and even the little box thingy in the 1974 shot to try and match it.

Today’s photo set features the monorail…and just like Brockway, Ogdenville and North Haverbrook, it helped put Kings Island on the map!

1974

monoraila.jpg

2011 (X-ray version)

monoraild.jpg

2011 (What you would really see.) I angled the camera down or it would have been all leaves!

monorailb.jpg

This is where the "accurate" shot was taken, on the side of the "On Location" shop.

monorailc.jpg

Today I will not try to guess anyone else's thoughts. :rolleyes: I will simply say that for me 2011 wins. I did ride the monorail back in the day...but I can't say as I have any fond memories of it...so 2011 wins by default. :)

Thanks again to everyone who is participating...yesterday's responses were fun!

And a little bonus video of possibly my favorite Simpsons song: The Monorail Song .

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One thing that I'm wondering (and hope some of the photo historians may be able to answer for me) is whether the grass islands and trees were there at opening or added sometime between 1972 and 1974. I swear I've seen photo's of this area without them (although it could have been an artist rendition for all I know).

The "islands" have been there as long as the park has, as seen below:

0021jpg.jpg

April 29, 1972. Photo courtesy Paul Holzschuher.

Regarding the '74/'11 comparison, I think this is one of my favorite shots so far. I like how similar the shots are and how many buildings and attractions have survived. Once again, thanks for taking the time, energy, etc. to put all of this together, J.D. :)

You can see in this pic how The Racer's exit was originally on the opposite side.In teh pic of Race For Your Life Charlie Brown,it's interesting to see how the wood covering the trough have been removed making it bare looking,Catwalks have been added,possibly for easier maintenance.Also of note is that the movie Race For Your Life Charlie Brown was released by Paramount Pictures.So in a way there is a Paramount movie ride added (or re-themed) by CF to KI.

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Today’s photo set IS a set…but it is only the 1974 photo that is fun to look at…as you will see…

1974

redflowersa.jpg

2011

redflowersb.jpg

Looking at the 2011 photo you can see why I loved the 1974 aerial view of Coney Mall that I posted a couple of days ago so much…the landscaping HAD to have been even more impressive in person…especially compared to looking at a bunch of stuffed animals. :P

P.S. If it’s any consolation, tomorrow’s set is more interesting! :)

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