Flight of Fear, when it opened in 1996, was one of the park's most intensely-themed attractions. As soon as guests passed under The Racer, the experience began- they were inside Fort Cooper, about to enter Hangar 18. The area was surrounded by barbed wire fence, emergency lights and various signs that informed patrons they weren't in a typical amusement park anymore.

Fourteen years later, quite a bit has changed- Fort Cooper is now Fort Kinzel, the whole area is now known as X-Base, and various modifications have been made to Flight of Fear (removal of OTSRs, etc.). Starting 2010, it seems as though the area's unique themeing that separated it from the typical amusement park is also starting to be removed...

In 2009, after passing underneath The Racer, a sign on the right proclaimed the area as a government security zone:

Either sometime in 2009 or 2010, the sign was removed for no apparent reason (although it did seem like it could use a touch-up)

And a more recent and more drastic change, the large tower outside the ride's entrance...

...was removed sometime after the beginning of August 2010. Here's the area with tower:

(Bit to the right of the center)

And a different angle after its removal:

With the tower's removal, the greeter position at Flight of Fear was slightly reworked to make height checks and employee rotations easier, which was good. And I'm not going to lose any sleep over the tower's absence, but it was a nice little detail in the area. I don't expect anything to replace it, although I'm curious as to why it was removed- Structural problems? Unnecessary upkeep? Or just to open-up the area and allow for easier height checks?

Probably so they could have more trash and crap to throw around the queue line of Urgent Scare.

Probably so they could have more trash and crap to throw around the queue line of Urgent Scare.

LOL. That was a very odd decor in that area.

Perhaps CF's goal is to make it like the ugly box with 12-E on the side.

Oh no, don't tell me were going for the Dispatch Master Transport theming of things, not Flight of Fear in 3D. Say it ain't so Cedar Fair!

Perhaps CF's goal is to make it like the ugly box with 12-E on the side.

That more than another box in Rivertown has.

I knew something was missing from FOF when I went a week ago. Thanks for pointing out the tower.

When will this madness of detheming end?

As with most of the de-themeing we've seen, the long and short of it is, "Why?"

We'll never know. I just think it's funny that if pretty much anyone else were to buy the park, be it Universal, Merlin, Parques, even Six Flags, I feel like the little things like the radio tower, the "government" sign, etc. would probably be among the first things to return.

And given a personable, fun marketing team, we'd probably get a few tweets like, "Uh, why was this removed in the first place? The NEW Kings Island: If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

To be fair, this is no different than the way Paramount operated. Theme it great, in their case, then forget it and let it go...examples abound, and you know that as well as I do.

To be fair, this is no different than the way Paramount operated. Theme it great, in their case, then forget it and let it go...examples abound, and you know that as well as I do.

I feel that, with Paramount, effects stopped working and were never fixed. But to simply remove signs and structures that have been there for over a decade simply because? It strikes me as odd.

For virtually everything there is a reason.

All parks change.

Such is life.

And to be perfectly honest, it looks a hell of alot better without the ugly radar tower.

Truthfully i find it rather annoying that CF keeps destroying the KI Decor..I like it the way it is, if you build something new great, but dont get rid of it for no reason. whats the point of taking down the sign and the tower??

Never been a big fan of themeing myself, landscaping and decor yes, but themeing not so much, I would be so very happy if they could get rid of them annoying tv's in Flight of Fears que with that terrible video the play over and over.

Never been a big fan of themeing myself, landscaping and decor yes, but themeing not so much, I would be so very happy if they could get rid of them annoying tv's in Flight of Fears que with that terrible video the play over and over.

I have to agree here. I mean the line about "A publicity stunt by a local amusement park for their latest attraction" is so outdated now. When the park opens, FOF will be 15 years old. That's hardly

their latest attraction! I say its well time for that to discontinue. Maybe they will paint it with 3D paint and sell those $1 3D specs for THAT too!

Hmmm, I wonder if Knott's would let riders wear glasses if they sold them in the queue?

Terp, always wondering

Leave the video!! I get a laugh on the days when very few people are in line. "There are civilians in the hanger", then they look at the Camera and see an empty queue line.

While there are certain individuals who occasionally enter the Flight of Fear queue, watch the pre- show video, and leave.

Islander, a fan of marketing, especially the clever kind.

"There are civilians in the hanger", then they look at the Camera and see an empty queue line.

I chuckle at that too...when I see this happen I always think "Yeah, this is a government operation alright!"

Leave the video!! I get a laugh on the days when very few people are in line. "There are civilians in the hanger", then they look at the Camera and see an empty queue line.

Agreed that is hilarious. Does anyone remember back when Mr. Christopher got electrocuted in the video the lights would go off in the hangar? Whatever happened to all that?

Certain guests could not keep their hands to themselves during the darkness. After numerous guest complaints, that portion of the video was sadly deleted.

Certain guests could not keep their hands to themselves during the darkness. After numerous guest complaints, that portion of the video was sadly deleted.

To me, that was one of the best theming elements on that whole ride. It is truly sad when one person, or two, have to ruin the experience for everyone else.

And then there's the queue line for our Giant Top Spin, which (without its original "flame torch" lights) is so dark that you find yourself feeling around for the handrails. How that is better than 5 - 10 seconds of darkness in Flight of Fear's line, I do not know.

And then there's the queue line for our Giant Top Spin, which (without its original "flame torch" lights) is so dark that you find yourself feeling around for the handrails. How that is better than 5 - 10 seconds of darkness in Flight of Fear's line, I do not know.

Very true, we have had quite the themed queue lines, beginning with FoF and then with TR:TR. Now look at them, some theming still remains, but for the most part it is now gone. Such as on The Crypt, the doors no longer close to block off the pre-show, oh wait there is no pre-show, and as you said, it is so dark in there with no torch lights or anything. I miss the theming elements very much.

Never been a big fan of themeing myself, landscaping and decor yes, but themeing not so much, I would be so very happy if they could get rid of them annoying tv's in Flight of Fears que with that terrible video the play over and over.

I'm with you on the tv's with that video....but themeing overall I do enjoy!

We also then have to ask the questions, how much themeing is too much? When does themeing become too cheesy?

I agree with the queue in the Crypt being ridiculously dark, sometimes I feel like im about to spill off the walkway!

I'm just going to stay completly ignorant and positive that something better will be coming next summer. Will my dreams come true? Probably not. There is a reason for everything, and, as much as I don't want to, I'll have to trust CF in their decisions. At least until summer rolls around. Then I'll complain.

And then there's the queue line for our Giant Top Spin, which (without its original "flame torch" lights) is so dark that you find yourself feeling around for the handrails. How that is better than 5 - 10 seconds of darkness in Flight of Fear's line, I do not know.

Seriously? Get over it already.

And then there's the queue line for our Giant Top Spin, which (without its original "flame torch" lights) is so dark that you find yourself feeling around for the handrails. How that is better than 5 - 10 seconds of darkness in Flight of Fear's line, I do not know.

Actually, once when I went to the park this summer, I decided to ride The Crypt to get out of the heat, and the torch lights in the que were turned on, a very nice touch in my opinion. The question is, why were they on that one time, and only that ONE time. They obviously work, so why not use them?

KIBOB, who can picture a sticky note being placed over the lighting control for the torches that reads "DO NOT USE-we must not have decent theming. Mr. K's country club will not allow it!"