Shaggy

Eiffel Tower reopened and I went to top. Hard to see from up there all the new clearing they’ve done - especially that out near Beast. FYI, there’s clearing behind The Racer Turnarounds and Action Theater.

I’m currently at the park - 7:30 - just rode north Racer and, yes, there are still workers clearing trees at this minute. The cleared area has really grown since last weekends pics showed.

The clearing now extends all the way back next to The Beasts mid course break shed and into the ravine under its second drop. Whatever it is going to be.... it’s huge

BTW... just for reference... Kings Island’s International Street fountains were based largely on “The fountains of Warsaw” installed in the “Jardins du Trocadéro” as a part of the 1937 Paris Exhibition next to the real Eiffel Tower in Paris. https://images.app.goo.gl/pCh2QTSJ92SSsc3d9

I have never once heard anyone in Admin at "the park" call KIC "complainers." Actually, I know they monitor the boards for unsolicited feedback - good and bad. What you see/read here actually has little difference from what the public says. Cincinnati people know and love KI with a passion... and they recognize and discuss the changes (good and bad) through the years. ...and trust me, the people running the park have opinions just like anyone else - and are just as impassioned.

I think "puny" is the word most are looking for. Currently the fountains look "less grand" than they have in the past. The water jets are thinner, and thus doesn't visually fill the pool like the wider jets did. Hopefully they'll work to improve the volume. I will say, I am camp pedestals. I miss them very much, I loved seeing those every time I was there. I have a funny feeling their removal had as much to do with ease of Winterfest set-up as much or more so than it did any beautification project. Personally, I think if the park returned the fountain base color to a richer, bolder or deeper blue - like in the 1980's - the fountains would probably look better. Frankly, the VERY light color of the pool base obscures the fountain water jets a great deal - has for years. Also, IMO a darker blue would have "shown" better with the now-vibrant color scheme of the IS buildings.... and the pipes at the bottom would be hidden. Overall, I think IS looks better than it has in years. Seriously. And if the trade off is the loss of the pedestals then I *guess* its worth it. But I'm old - so I had to see things from my childhood "retired." ;-) See below '80s look for reference.

...and I just saw a pic of International Street that had the very same effect.... it appears the concession wagons at the corners of the Fountains are back - that's an incredible throwback. ...and I just saw the fully restored Glockenspiel in action - better than ever!!!! Seriously folks - this is on tap to be one of the best seasons in KI's recent history. Wow Wow WOW

...and it literally brought me to tears. Sincerely, this throw back - and the nods to some of the lost rides of KI's past along the route - are so overwhelmingly heartwarming I cant help but be emotional. This, my friends, is how "The old days" at KI felt. Thank you Kings Island - you're doing incredible stuff.

Here's a funny... that wasnt funny at the time... When you work rides, one of the most frustrating things you deal with is guests that insist you look for their lost item. Whether its glasses, wallet, keys, phone etc - it seemed as though it was a never ending parade of people that were constantly holding up ride cycles due to negligence in securing items. As a member of The Beast crew, we were obligated to do a quick "sweep" of the seats & car on behalf of the guests. (Many times the lost item had simply fallen between padding or occasionally under the seat and we'd find it. - It was actually rare that an item in someone's pocket flew out of the train.) The problem was, with literally THOUSANDS of people riding in those seats - not only do they get greasy, grimy, sticky, wet, dirty, smelly and just generally gross - they also collect lots of trash (park maps, refill cups etc.) We had a "pattern" we'd follow where we'd run our hands in a certain direction around the seat edge, in between the pads then under the seats. If we felt any trash as a part of that check - we'd pull it out and toss it. If the item wasn't found, we'd ask the guest to check back later or with guest services. The ride ops HATED doing it, and we griped about it to each other all the time away from guests... but it was "part of the gig" so we had to literally grin and bear it. Well, one particular hot Sunday afternoon I was working unload on Beast. Now mind you, this was 1999 so smart phones - even just plain 'ol cell phones - were not a common thing. But pagers were. (For you youngins - pagers were a cellular device that would text you a simple message or a number to call.) Well if memory serves me, a train came in and of course some man got out and freaked because he was missing (I think) his pager. Soooooo... As the load-side gates were held, I did the quick sweep of the seats, then around the padding, then across the floor under the seat. Well, when I reached under the seat, I felt something damp and squishy and proceeded to pull it out thinking it was just like a wet park map or something to throw in the trash. I stood up, opened my hand, looked at it and realized... I was holding poop. Well, not really... but we'll get to that in a bit. Of course there was a station full of waiting guests that were all watching me intently during the checking routine... and ultimately saw me holding a "turd" in my hand. There was literally a collective "GASP" from the guests when they realized what I had found. I even saw one lady mouth to her husband "He's holding $^#@!" I was simultaneously: A: Shocked B: Grossed out C: Utterly embarrassed D: completely baffled at how _ _ _ _ got under a seat. So what did I do? Well, I threw it away of course! I then immediately freaked out to the crew lead about needing to go sterilize my hands. We were on minimal crew - so I couldn't go anywhere until a relief area manager could come to Beast to fill in. I actually used water from the water cooler to wash my hands as best I could (No hand sanitizer then) and I think we had some general ride cleaner on hand that I doused my hands with. When certain "ecological" issues arose - we'd sometimes call ecology to clean it up or we'd make an "incident report" or such. I cant exactly remember what we did in this particular situation. But I do know the end result was that after being closely analyzed, the determination was made that what I had picked up was indeed - NOT poop. You see, at that time in the park - several of the midway games had prizes that included "Bugs Bunny" stuffed animals. (Not Six Flags - go figure.?) And it turns out the "poop" was actually a very wet, very dirty stuffed "carrot" that had fallen off the hand of a Bugs Bunny stuffed animal. It had simply turned into a very wet, mis-shapen and dark brown blob. (Don't ask me how... it probably had been there for months....) So there you have it... the day I pulled poop out of The Beast, which wasn't poop after all, much to the horror of myself and everyone else in The Beast's station. P.S. - Yes - the guys pager was found... on the floor behind his row.

Preach on! Preach on! I tell everyone that was the hardest work, and most thankless job I have ever done. Its soooooo much more than operating the attraction. On Beast we worked our @$$ off all the time... and we did so in blazing hot temps. Its been 20 years since I was on crew... but I have the bad back to proove I did it. I'll give you an example of something I didnt expect when I signed on as a ride op at KI... there was a season pass holder with a severe mental and physical handicap restriction. However, his favorite ride was Beast... so he'd come often. Because of his affliction, crew members had to secure a special seat in a train, then hold trains while we lifted him from his wheelchair into the ride. We then had a special harness that strapped around his chest and belted into clasps on the back of the car. Once he was secure, we'd load the train, secure lap bars - do a final check of his restraint and send him (the train) on his way. We'd allow him 2, maybe 3 consecutive rides - all the time pacifying the folks waiting for that seat. When his "turns" were done, we'd unstrap him and lift him out and back into his wheelchair. The first time I came upon this experience I was completely taken aback. But we got it down to a science and after a while we got to know him. Frankly, I reached the point where I looked forward to him coming - because what I saw was pure joy. He LOVED riding The Beast... and seeing him get so excited and having fun is one of my best memories. Oh, and guess what... the guests actually often loved watching it and would compliment and thank us for helping him. It really restored my faith in humanity... a little bit ;-)

There's lots of work going on at the park overnight - so I think its just a matter of the night shift crews keeping their eyes peeled and notifying security (who patrols the park) of any oddities. I know when I was on Beast crew, there was at least a couple times we reported a "guest in park" after the ride had gone 2-9 (Shut down for night.) We were sometimes there until 1 - 1:30 am... on really busy nights cleaning/storing trains after the line had been run out. (The Beast was typically the last ride to be put to bed.) We'd then walk through Rivertown as a crew and that's when, on rare occasion, we'd spot people. Frankly - some of those late nights were my favorite memories. We had a lot of laughs.

My Lord they are not only knocking the ball out of the park... they are hitting the moon. I cannot tell you how much the restorative effort they are putting into the park means to me, us, all. I am so glad to know KI is finally in the hands of those that cherish, respect and honor it's past as much as its future. APPLAUSE!!!

The last time I recall it being painted was in the latter Paramount Years - 2005. They completely sandblasted it during the off-season and repainted it in early spring.

I'll desperately miss the pedestals, but I would suspect after nearly 50 years of hard work they were due for retirement. RIP Pedestals... you earned your slumber.

That's exactly right. Had nothing to do with Action Zone coming 2 years later. Had everything to do with a desperate need to expand and overhaul the waterpark which was seeing lagging interest. I would suspect they also wanted to avoid putting in 2 thrill rides back-to-back, and especially in very near proximity to one another.

I thought the Red's grill was always a throwback to the Red's Dugout Shop that was in Rivertown for years.

The original Drop Tower planned for KI (to go in Flight Commander's spot in 1997) went to Canada's Wonderland. It is a 2nd generation Intamin Drop.

FYI also, all early KI park guides can be found at Sit on It on FB. ;-)

Guides from 1972 were used temporarily when the park re-opened in '73 until new ones were printed.

I seems like Sunlite pool used to have high-diving boards back when I was a kid. Am I dreaming that?

Currently there are HUGE DEEP holes dug all down the sides of the fountains. They are installing hydraulic lift tables that will automatically lift pre-lit trees into place for Winterfest - thus expediting the labor intensive set up. Also, all the "windows" on International Street are being replaced with dual-pane glass that will allow them to randomly select "fog/ice/frost/tint" setting with the touch of wireless connection. Finally, several of the shops have had their false "forced perspective" second stories removed and they are building viewing platforms on the tops for the new light/water show on the fountains. Access to these platforms will be granted via a "VIP Diamond/Emerald & Ruby Pass" the park will begin selling next season for an additional $300 per pass. Its a massive undertaking- and the place is a mess right now - that's why there's no pictures. Had ya for a second didnt I? (and for the more... ummm gullible readers... that was all fake. I have no earthly idea what all they are doing... LOL)

I am the blogger. The original train you see in that picture was a "prototype" or "concept" based on the initial theme KI had given PTC (a mining car.) It was displayed at IAAPA the fall of '78 and was the only one that had a light added to the front. At the time, the park had not chosen the final theme or name - that came in February. Because of indecision of theme on KI's part - the trains were built by PTC and shipped to KI having only been primed - not painted. When they arrived at KI that winter a final color scheme was chosen and the coaster team/sign department painted the trains and sculpted the logo in house. The logo was added for publicity purposes... so that any photos would indicate the name of the coaster. The park had learned this early on from the publicity they received when Racer premiered - which has always featured the name of the coaster. PTC has never painted The Beast's trains, nor were they shipped with headlights. In addition - remember that there were initially 4 trains, so several modifications were made after they arrived for testing.

The equivalent of being pushed over the side of a sharp hill in a shopping cart. Actual ride footage of my riding it:

FYI the trains never operated like this... This was a preliminary design only. They were completely re-designed before the coaster opened to resemble a "fireball" on par with the television commercial.

Geez.... so many to choose from. The Boss at SFStL Lost Coaster of Superstition Mountain at Indiana Beach Williams Grove Cyclone Soarin' Eagle - Coney Island Shockwave - SFGAm Batman The Escape - Astroworld Big Dipper - Camden Park Revolution at SFMM (With head restraints) There's more... but those are the standouts in my mind right now.