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The fact that KI has an actual Oktoberfest section and isn't getting an Oktoberfest is honestly depressing on so many levels. The problem with Kings Island's implementation of the food events is that the selection was just bland for the wine festival. Oktoberfest, if done as a limited seasonal run from the end of September to the early part of October would do fairly well in my eyes in terms of a park event. I will pay dollar for dollar for a Hoffbrauhaus beer at the park, or even have local craft breweries showcase their Oktoberfest beers as several are kicking off their rotations now. Kings Island has what should be the easiest slam dunk opportunity to create a very unique event that showcases local flair and celebrates the Cincinnati Oktoberfest tradition, as there's dozens of events in the area and I know every single one was packed every year. If Kings Island made a legit event, working with local bands and German communities, this could go over extremely well.

Causation and correlation are different things. Orion very likely did not cause a decrease in park attendance, that is a ridiculous claim. I'm sure you're rage baiting, but if you're not, I'll be praying for you to clear your mind.

I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you are not being serious with this claim, because it would be a really absurd argument to point to pandemic-affected attendance as evidence of what you're suggesting. Obviously no one is so incredibly obtuse that they'd make such an argument in good faith, right?

It’s a shame an event like this wouldn’t do well in Cincinnati.

Hayo! I am here to present a large list of attendance figures for every season since opening for Kings Island. Some of these are estimates as the park doesn't like to official say, but I feel confident these numbers are close to the real ones based on normal attendance. I will mark each year with their individual sources as proof of the total. The list starts at the latest known year (2023) and descends to the first season in 1972. If any of my numbers are wrong, or you know the real number in place of an estimate, please let me know! I had to do a lot of digging for this, even going through old Amusement Business magazines from the 80s. The reason I am making this is I wasn't able to find a single place that showed all attendance figures for each operating year since 1972. So I thought it would be neat to compile one, so here we are! ("KT RTT" references the Kings Island: A Ride Through Time book by Evan Ponstingle) The Numbers 2023 - 3,488,000 (Latest report is sourced from https://aecom.com/theme-index/) 2022 - 3,340,000 (Here to 2006 are sourced from AECOM, see https://aecom.com/theme-index/theme-index-reports-archive/ for 2022 to 2006) 2021 - 3,181,000 2020 - 1,626,000 2019 - 3,521,000 2018 - 3,486,000 2017 - 3,469,000 2016 - 3,384,000 2015 - 3,335,000 2014 - 3,238,000 2013 - 3,206,000 2012 - 3,206,000 2011 - 3,143,000 2010 - 3,112,000 2009 - 3,000,000 2008 - 3,126,000 2007 - 3,050,000 2006 - 3,050,000 (2006 to 2023 are sourced from AECOM, see https://aecom.com/theme-index/theme-index-reports-archive/ for all above years) 2005 - 3,330,000 (2005 to 1990 are sourced from an archived AECOM report that I was unable to find directly, but found a site that reported them; see https://www.theparkdb.com/results/in/name/14/view_details) 2004 - 3,510,000 2003 - 3,277,975 2002 - 3,182,500 2001 - 3,350,000 2000 - 3,200,000 1999 - 3,325,000 1998 - 3,400,000 1997 - 3,300,000 1996 - 3,600,000 1995 - 3,470,000 1994 - 3,300,000 1993 - 3,250,000 1992 - 3,260,000 (Legacy KIC Historical Facts page & https://www.theparkdb.com/results/in/name/14/view_details) 1991 - 2,850,000 (Legacy KIC Historical Facts page & https://www.theparkdb.com/results/in/name/14/view_details) 1990 - 3,200,000 (1990 to 2005 are sourced from an archived AECOM report that I was unable to find directly, but found a site that reported them; see https://www.theparkdb.com/results/in/name/14/view_details) 1989 - 3,170,000 (KI RTT pg 159, excludes WinterFest) 1988 - 2,968,294 (Amusement Business 1988 - 12/24/88 Vol 100 Iss 52) 1987 - 3,463,586 (KI RTT pg 150, note pg 144 says 3.1 million but pg 150 includes WinterFest attendance) 1986 - 2,869,669 (Amusement Business 1986 - 12/27/86 Vol 98 Iss 51) 1985 - 2,961,861 (Amusement Business 1985 - 12/28/85 Vol 97 Iss 51) 1984 - 3,200,000 (KI RTT pg 138) 1983 - 2,700,000 (estimate, Amusement Business 1983 - 12/31/83 Vol 95 Iss 52) 1982 - 2,700,000 (Amusement Business 1982 - 12/25/82 Vol 94 Iss 52) 1981 - 2,760,000 (KI RTT pg 104) 1980 - 2,475,000 (estimate, KI RTT pg 98 references a 10% drop in attendance from prev year) 1979 - 2,750,000 (KI RTT pg 96) 1978 - 2,600,000 (KI RTT pg 82) 1977 - 2,500,000 (KI RTT pg 81) 1976 - 2,525,000 (estimate, 1% increase from 1977, KI RTT pg 81) 1975 - 2,364,400 (estimate, 8% decrease from 1974 - KI RTT pg 66) 1974 - 2,570,000 (KI RTT pg 63) 1973 - 2,400,000 (KI RTT pg 58) 1972 - 2,012,000 (KI RTT pg 54) I hope to update this yearly when AECOM, or another party, releases their yearly report. The hope is they keep including Kings Island! Until next time, cheers!

I would rather if they do it, they actually do it right than just throwing it together. Wine & Food Festival was essentially botched as was Grand Carnival. Take more time to plan and do it right instead of last minute.

Yeah, Intamin is a serial offender and their costs are obviously higher. Zamperla hasn't reached that status as bad as the TT2 situation turned out to be. Sure, it does seem that Intamin is more reliable than they were when all those rides were built (and don't forget P/I305) but its hard to look past at all the problems of the past.

I think we should wait to see how Zamperla resolves said issue with TT2 before making any bold statement about their current or future relationship with the new SF/CF chain. It's not like TTD was Intamin's only problem when it comes to their rides. You had problems with Wicked Twister, Shoot the Rapids, and Maverick.

A new scarezone located near the Kings Island Theater? Hmm, could we be getting a Phantom Theater Scarezone?!(Absolutely not, but I’ll always try to interject that ride into any conversation)

^They have not, seasonably that part of the park lacks hanging lights. Historically that section did have decorations, then a scare zone, then it turned into the main spider section for the park. Maybe we are finally getting a new scare zone for 24?

Sarcasm, Cincinnati has the largest Oktoberfest every year and has a ton of smaller Oktoberfests in the tri state.

It's worth noting that the AECOM/TEA attendance report is an estimation and not based on figures released by parks. I highly recommend not treating those numbers as factual. It's my opinion that AECOM/TEA does an alright job of generally tracking attendance trends (e.g. attendance is down at a given park in a year) but it's a mistake to use the attendance numbers themselves as proof of anything.

The "Where ya gonna go" comment happened in 2022. Their attendance dropped by a few hundred per game that year. Their attendance has soared since. From 17,000 that year, to 25,000 a game since. Their attendance absolutely didn't crater.

Orion is the only “giga” which the attendance declined: Before Orion: 2019 - 3,521,000 After Orion: 2021 - 3,181,000 2020 - 1,626,000

Worth noting: The Paramount years also had the highest number of comp tickets in the history of Kings Island.

Here's some pics of the first Haunt (was FearFest), and first under CF ownership. October 2007.

Personally, I would like to see a rating system for houses/mazes. http://www.amusementpics.com/TPT/100705-139.jpg Also I wish more rides got a name or theming overlay https://www.themeparkhipster.com/happy-halloween/ Also, maybe have some of the Halloween props work during the daytime like they do at HalloWeekends during the day like the troll.

I'm all fairness. Zamperla took on a very big problem child. I don't think the TT2 project should be held against them. Yeah, it has been a real drag, but that Intamin aura, energy, bad juju, etc. might still plague it.