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WOW. Epic picture. WARNING: RANT ON 'EVOLUTION' OF Kings Island AHEAD! Kings Island just doesn't do stuff like that anymore...which is a shame...the Kings Island of 1972-1987 was one of the greatest amusement parks in the world at the time. Great food, beautiful landscaping, great atmosphere, friendly employees, and the coasters that were added during that time were cutting edge, state-of-the-art (at the time) thrill machines that blew open new doors for the coaster world (even if The Bat failed, it still made an impact and paved the way for suspended and inverted coasters). Wait...Kings Island WAS BUSCH GARDENS!!! And that's a good thing. And then, in 1987, Linder came in. Did some serious damage during his short stay, causing KI to become run-down and "dirty". Paramount followed in '93 and began turning KI into a move park- they meshed it well early-on, but in the 2000s they went and ka-flopped with the removal of several fan-favorite rides, the "parking lot" transformation from Wild Animal Habitat to Action Zone, and the destruction of the peaceful area behind the Eiffel Tower with Italian Job: Stunt Track. Cedar Fair's has done a decent job overall, but Diamondback (as good a ride as it is) destroyed Rivertown and the fact that SOB and Crypt are SBNO is not very good for the park- and they seem to have found a knack for angering people here on KIC, either it be the transformation of the kids area into Planet Snoopy in 2010 or the "Fast Lane" debut in 2011...(even though I personally like PS more than NickU, and don't have too big a problem with Fast Lane myself- then again I have yet to visit the park since it was installed but don't see how it could reduce capacity on rides like Beast & Diamondback to the point where I'd be waiting more than 10 extra minutes unless their "limited supply" means 5,000+ passes, and even if that was the case...weekdays!). I hope Matt Quimet (or whomever is in charge of KI) looks through these pictures, sees what KI used to be, and begins to restore the park to its former glory- if that is at all possible. Kings Island is great now, yes, but seeing pictures like these...it was once so much more than just rides. End rant. Sorry 'bout all that...these pictures have that effect on me...even though I wasn't even born until Linder was in charge...and didn't visit KI until 2000.

This is a very touchy subject, one that there are no winners and also one that has many victims- including parks. Interpretations of rules is difficult for everyone to agree on. What I believe is one way is most likely different for someone else. I'm sure this particular park visitor is more than capable of handling herself on the ride like everyone else given she has lived with this unfortunate condition her whole life. The ride attendants have no way of knowing this (how could they?). Their safest decision is to not allow her to ride. Sure, she was allowed sometime ago. It was a mistake, everyone makes them. What about the park visitor that has casts on both hands? Are both visitors to be treated the same, or is each visitor different? I want everyone to remember the Darian Lake visitor that fell out of the train last year that had no legs. Nobody wants to live with the memory that as a ride attendant, poor judgement was used. Safety is top priority. If Kraken broke down and riders had to be escorted down the lift hill, could she hold on to the railings? I have no idea, and I'm sure anyone that does not know her either can honestly say yes. I agree with Jcgoble3 that the family should be recognized for not seeking monetary damages. But I do question why they did not ask the question of being able to ride before getting in line before every ride. That would have certainly solved the embarrassment issue.

Cincinnati Zoo: http://autos.yahoo.com/news/did-you-know-cheetahs-ride-shotgun-.html Rather astounding. A. Cheetah is not properly restrained, for its protection. B. What would OSHA say about safe working conditions for the driver? C. What if there is a serious traffic accident and an injured, upset cheetah does what? Escapes? Attacks first responders? Attacks the driver? I just can't see anything good about this.

Agreed. I always, ALWAYS get heckled for saying this, but I think the park needs to do something, anything with both SOB and Crypt before they start adding any more new attractions. Making improvements to existing areas of a park makes it look a lot cleaner than adding new attractions; it seems to me like WindSeeker and Dinosaurs Alive are distractions from existing rides that exhausted their last breath a long time ago (although I do love WindSeeker!). Tom(76257) made the point to me that perhaps some of the money made from Dinosaurs Alive will go toward finding a permanent solution for those two rides. I certainly hope that is the case, but we will just have to wait and see. I agree with others who would like more healthy food selections. I also would like to see more fresh fruits and vegetables added as sides at any place to eat. Buffalo Wild Wings offers a carrot and celery boat with fat free ranch dressing as a substitute side with any meal. That would taste amazing on a hot day not to mention veggies and fruits provide much needed hydration. Many of us don't do well with greasy or spicy food combined with coasters on a hot day. I'd love to walk up somewhere at KI and get a banana or a cup of sliced oranges.

If I were Katie, I would be angry, but there are a lot of rides that have manufacturer limitations. If the employee doesn't follow the rules based on those limitations, they can lose their job. Perhaps an employee or member of management saw Katie riding back in December and perhaps the policy was modified as a result. We have no way of knowing what the media cut out of this, so I'm throwing that out there. Every park has rules and limitations for personal rider safety and security. Diamondback doesn't allow casts, Millennium Force and Dragster don't allow backpacks in their queue or on the ride, and Dollywood doesn't allow riders to wear hats or scarves on any of their rides. Many rides at parks all over the US do not allow pregnant riders, too-short riders, or riders with prosthetic limbs. None of that is discrimination, but people play that card all the time in sue-happy America. We may not understand why the rules are there, but if something is not allowed then surely something must have happened for the rule to be in effect. People get up in arms over things like this all the time, but suppose they let rules fly and an accident happens as a result of negligence. I as a rider would rather be angry than dead or injured. I understand and admire that Katie is skilled and adept in her personal life, but the park does not know that. I'm hoping to be a ride operator for the first time in my life this year. I know that if I was faced with a similar situation and was told that a guest with amputations could not ride as a result of manufacturer regulations, I would have no choice but to politely ask the person to exit the ride.

As I see it, yeah it sucks. There are rules set for safety of the rider and others. Unfortunately handicapped people are not able to do everything that non handicapped people can do. That is the reason they are classified handicapped. "Life sucks sometimes, and there is nothing you can do about it but suck it up and do something else." That comes from a person I know that is handicapped, he understands that he cannot do everything, so he does the best with what he can do.

Photo #27

I would rather camp, even sleeping in my escape, than to get a room for 100 or more a night. Plus, I'm with KI-orig-emp, the smell of grills is heavenly and there is more socializing than being behind a locked door in a hotel.

It has been posted by others, whom I'd trust, that painting Racer might Lead down a path the park is reluctant to take

Same people behind Thirteen's "scariest coaster in the world," "free diapers," "nurse on site," "18+ only" as well as the world record for most naked coaster riders, coaster riding squirrels, haunted construction sites, etc. PR stunts are their idea of marketing. You'd think after the mediocre reception of Thirteen, they'd think twice (a ride with stats similar to Backlot Stunt Coaster being called the scariest ride in the world certainly left many people disappointed...) One stage of coaster testing (long before a full circuit test) is a pull-through in which the train is meticulously inched through the course with a large extender that mimics the reach of human limbs. That ensures that there is absolutely no possible chance of collision. The "selling point" of many Wing Rider coasters is the near-misses with scenery and the optical illusions that you're nearing an obstacle. So the crazy PR stunt for Swarm is that - oops - maybe they cut it a little too close! You'll notice every row of the train is filled with the B&M water dummies we know and love, and the front row (the affected one) has store mannequins who aren't even in the shoulder restraints correctly. It's a stunt, and one that would be considered in poor taste in America. I doubt it would've even made it off the drawing board in the U.S., especially this close to Kentucky...

^So why isn't Ron Jeremy on the park's Wall Of Fame?

Photo#26

Does your friend run a bulldozer, by any chance?

Agree - I think - the shows themselves were made up of aspiring singers and dancers, and they were very, very good. I recall one wthat was country themed, and it would not surprise me to find the singers on radio or tv today. However, it's important to understand the demographic too. The teens are the target, that seems obvious, but to get multi-generational they'll have to continue to work on shade, seating, and waiting areas. Lots of folks miss the vine 'tunnel' between the tower and rivertown for example. They still have theirs at Carowinds, and it had folks sitting there every day in several benches. I *love* how compact KI is, but it's still a lot of walking if the aim is multi-generational (and I agree it should be) they have to continue to work on this. We went to Cedar Point this year, and the 'Sideshow - a Carnival of Magic' show was really entertaining. The cast interacted with the crowd, and they put on a *great* show. We sat first row at least twice and I *still* don't know how some of the illusions were done. ;-P My son got chosen to be the 'assistant' once, and he'll remember that forever. Overall though, I think Cedar Fair is doing a MUCH better job than Paramount ever did!

ADA. Wheelchairs. Strollers, too. Few curbs left in the park. Or even arched bridges, for that matter....

i think they did away with the side walks because people kept tripping over them.

At least they added more to I-Street since the 70s. Most of these comparisons have shown massive cuts on landscaping...but more trees = better, in my opinion. I don't think I've said this thread was awesome yet...so yeah, I'll say it now....this thread is awesome!