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As you know, Vortex turns 25 this year. In 1987 I was in 7th grade and just getting over my fear of coasters. I still remember getting my first KI season pass at Winterfest, December '86 and seeing Vortex's hill towering over the trees. I was lucky enough to ride it on opening morning, April 11, 1987. I didn't really understand the layout until (while we waited for the rope to drop) I climbed to the 50 foot platform of the Eiffel Tower. I got two rides that day, and forever turned into a coaster fan. Of course there was no internet back then, so I had to rely on newspaper clippings, like this article from the Cincinnati Enquirer. I hope you enjoy it! cover http://flic.kr/p/bndvo5 page 1 http://flic.kr/p/bA8naB page 2 http://flic.kr/p/bA8nsp page 3 http://flic.kr/p/bndwy7 page 4 http://flic.kr/p/bA8ojD page 5 http://flic.kr/p/bndxCd page 6 http://flic.kr/p/bA8pe8 page 7 http://flic.kr/p/bA8pxe page 8 http://flic.kr/p/bA8pQM PS If someone can suggest a more elegant way to post these pics, I'd appreciate it!

^ Yeah... alluna asked just that, so I answered as such. And why shouldn't it be included? I mean, the park clearly doesn't mind adding in structures that are serving no purpose. That's why that wooden thing behind Days of Thunder is on the map, too. (Oh, wait...)

I absolutely loved KC, for the same reasons mentioned above. The first drop and the loop were fun, but that airtime hill after the loop was just insane. I remember always going to KC at the end of the day for walk-on rides between 9:30 and 10:00 and just going again and again. Definitely one of my favorite rides ever at Kings Island. As far as the B&M stand-ups go, I actually like all of them, including Iron Wolf Apocalypse. They may be jerky and induce a lot of G's into your calves, but I like the layouts (especially Riddler's Revenge), and they do some crazy inversions.

Could not agree more. King Cobra is still my favorite steel coaster from KI. I just loved going down the drop into that loop, catching crazy airtime over that first hill, the near 90 degree helix, airtime again and trick track. The only somewhat painful part was the last 2 tiny hills prior to the brake run. Still like Gordon said, I haven't ridden either a B&M, Intamin, or Giovanola stand up coaster that wasn't terrible. Personally, I think stand up coasters are past their prime. I think it's a waste when there are so many other coaster options out there.

I thought the ride was great, but Togo is gone and I've yet to ride a B&M that didn't suck.

Yes? I'm not really sure why you made this a whole topic.

Man i miss the cars...

I am guessing that when most people say that they would like a piece of a ride it is just like Goodyellowkorn...just a minute little piece as a keepsake. Just one timber of Son of Beast cut into small chunks would be MORE than enough to "appease" the fan boys...I consider that cheap goodwill. There are some people on this site who appear to be fairly level-headed individuals who brag they they have a piece of a ride on their computer tables that they are using as a paper weight...is that so bad? To each their own, everyone appreciates different things in life...which is what makes the world an interesting place.

I also have one of the lights in the locker room at Riverfront hanging up in my garage. Anyways, I was wondering.... Could some of the items in Crypt be used for Adventure Express? The themes pretty much go hand-in-hand. The only problem I'd see is that they wouldn't be treated for the outdoors....

I vote for another new wave pool! There is nothing Kings Island needs more than three wave pools!

I agree with you, my photo doesn't do the area justice...it does look a lot nicer than what I show. (I should of taken a complete shot of the area and included it...but I didn't. ) Unfortunetly, I think that would distract from the purpose of the thread/pictures you've taken. The same could be said for many of these comparisions, but is unfair to the art that you've created. Great work all around, I'd hate to take away from what you've presented. Unfortunetly, the engineer side of my brain can't get past the 'why did they change that" aspect of comparing pictures 30 years apart. for instance, the coloring on The Racer, I'm sure there is a significant savings in going "all white" rathern than painting the rails different than the supports. How often do they paint that? When you're not comparing pictures 30 years apart, does the average customer even notice such a thing? I doubt they do, which means the cost savings is worth more than the enhanced customer appeal of having the 1974 paint job. (so why enclose the tunnel?) Kind of makes me wonder, and I'm not sure if anything likes this exists at KI, or in these pictures, but how many things have been done in Kings Island as part of a future master plan that either hasn't occured yet, or was scrapped in lieu of a different master plan a few years later. For instance, say they know they know they're going to to tear out the go carts and put in a new ride sometime in the next 10 years. They have room left in the budget to do some side landscapping and what not in anticipation of this happening down the road, however with the ownership change a ride is never put there, but the changed landscapping is already in the budget and put into place this offseason. Would make it kind of interesting to have an insiders take on the master plans for KI thru the years, what was eventually scrapped, and how it has affected the current park layout.

Correct, the path and subway patio were changed slightly. 2011 season. The "tall" fences were added around racer about the time of the SFOG Batman incident so like 08 or 09? They were also added to Vortex, Beastie and I think TOPGUN.

EDIT: Whoops, misread something. Please delete this post.