Shaggy

Wanna know a huge *secret?* The Marketing/PR Director at the time (who can be seen in the video - and shall remain nameless) was released just a couple months later immediately following the Son of Beast announcement event. (IMO, well deserved!) Just prior to the announcement of SOB, Tim Fisher called in his former marketing Director at Carowinds, to move to Cincinnati and restructure the marketing team. - Thats how David Mandt became Marketing Director. David's first big move was to hire an enthusiastic young man to oversee PR, who was then doing marketing for Americana. The young man was at the SOB media event and it was there that i first met Jeffrey Siebert. Jeff came on board at PKI shortly after, and the team he and David created would prove to be utterly successful for the park, enthusiasts and the industry. That change single-handedly turned around the marketing of Kings Island, and started a momentum that continues on to this day with Don. Today those two help lead the industry... and that, my friends, is history...

The stunt show was not discontinued because of the shootings. After the shootings, the guns were removed from the show, and it limped along through the 1999 season. It was cancelled late in the season when Tim Fisher viewed it, felt it was poor entertainment and embarassing, and he immediately dismissed the "stunt men" following an afternoon show.

To be quite honest, the details escape me. I probably would have recalled that once upon a time, but my KI memory is not what it used to be. What I do recall is that the day it opened to the general public, it was misting/raining. My goal in the FB page isn't to recollect the specifics/minutia/dates as much as it is to share the wealth of pictures and materials I have amassed over the years. As I post, I simply type in a few comments as best I recall.

For anyone curious about the construction of Action Zone - including Face/Off and Drop Zone - I just uploaded a bunch of photos. (Including an ULTRA RARE look inside Drop Zone's tower!)

Unless the queue goes back there, they'd be pointless... you cant see the outside while inside. ;-)

Throw the book at him!

There's been a few things there through the years... FOF Souvenir Stand, VR coaster, games etc. I'm not sure which exact picture you may be referencing.

Yep

Hi all! Some of you know me, many probably don't because I dont post like I did in year past. Let's just say KI and I go waaaaaaaay back. I have had a love affair with KI since I first heard about The Beast in 1979 and since I first attended in 1981 when the (original) Bat was new! Well, I have managed to keep tabs on the park for decades now. I was an avid coaster enthusiast for years, but my passion found it's birth in my early visits to KI. Throughout all my years of visiting the park, I collected souvenirs, collectibles, and other physical things. However I also amassed a lot of pictures (including rare, behind the scenes construction pictures), brochures, park maps, media kits, Press Releases etc. After years and years of sitting on a 4-drawer filing cabinet full of them, I finally decided I was being selfish by not sharing. So that's exactly what I am doing. I have created a FB page called "Sit on It." (It's a play on a slogan taken from a sign that used to hang in The Beast, and Racer stations. I loved the sign and always said if I were to create a site dedicated to my love of KI, that's what I'd call it!) So... I'd like to invite all of you to visit @SitOnItKI on FB. It's a work in progress... and I've only just begun to upload the hundreds of pictures, videos etc that I have dating back to Kings Islands opening years. All I ask is that you help me by giving credit to the page if you re-use one of my pictures, that will help promote it. Also, I welcome your nostalgic pictures and posts as well. I hope this isnt breaking any KICentral rules - I would have loved to contribute them - but frankly there's so many. My intent is to celebrate the wonderful park Kings Island has always been by looking back at it's past... and it's future! https://www.facebook.com/SitonItKI

When I was a kid, there was more than just Ringling Brothers & Barnum Bailey. There were also traveling tent circuses like "Clyde Beatty Cole Brothers Circus." Ringling was always the "Mercedes" of circuses when I was young. It was always a slick, highly produced arena spectacular. It had celebrated stars that were very well known - like Gunther Gebel Williams (whom I saw perform many, many times.) Tent Circuses were always rough, and gritty and literally set up on grassy plots of land with old rickety wooden bleachers and toothless carnies. I marveled at Ringling Bros. I loved the ariel acts - high-wire, trapeze, lady swinging by her hair etc. I loved the lions and tigers and elephants and monkeys. It all seemed so big, and mesmerizing, and exciting! I went a few years ago, after over 25 years of not having seen it. The show was a shell of it's former self. All the over-the-top extravagance had obviously been sacrificed to keep the show going. The arena was only half filled with ticket buyers, and it seemed all the acts were cut down in their time. Even the lions and tigers (which have always performed after the intermission) were only on for 10-15 minutes. Also, everything seemed smaller, the trapeze wasn't as high, the high-wire shorter etc. Most notible to me was the fact that there was no live music tmk - it was pre-recorded - vs a live orchestra that used to travel with them. I did always feel bad/concerned over the animals as a kid. The elephants always looked sad to me. But I always recognized that it was the only life those animals knew. So I have grave concerns over their well-being now that their security is gone. I also am gravely concerned for the families that travel with the show - most come from many many generations of performers that only know life in the confines of the show. Mostly I worry that those who's lives centered around the animals will be able to continue their work with them in some way. I don't think the animal rights do-gooders thought about that. They never factored in the fact that this may cause a separation of those keepers who have loved and cherished the animals their entire lives - but now will not be able to afford to do so on their own. I find it is a sad, sad day. Not surprising, but truly sad.

Frankly, what's in the shed is not nearly as interesting to me as what's before the shed. I will say just by visual judgement when viewing pictures, the fact that the track is hugging the ground so tightly after a decent sized lift makes me think its going to be a great ride. Once the "shed" secret is out, its out. The success of the ride will be based on it's overall ride experience not the last 20 seconds. What if what's in the shed is just a monitor that scrolls a list of build credits, like the end of a movie? LOL! Nah, that's more of a Paramount move... Ha ha!

As other pointed out, most of those thinking "drop track" are not accounting for the train pass directly underneath the area being speculated. Do you really think they'd install a drop track directly over a train pass? I am, and always have been on the "no drop track" team. I do think it would be cool if the track is kept open underneath and as the train passes it lets out a big steam toot. LOL!

It was always rumored that Charlie Dinn... of which CCI was born (Dinn Corp became CCI when he retired)... had an original "Bat" car in storage at the facility. I never got proof, but it was urban legend. I remember driving by the old CCI headquarters wanting to walk in and see if the rumor was true... never had the guts though. LOL

I actually worked this attraction a few times while it was in operation at KI. It was a sloooooooooooow loader, and generated a notorious "ouch" from guests upon it's abrupt stop. It was a very fun ride to watch - but ultimately not a wise choice for a high capacity park. I always thought it's elevator lift looked like one of those elevators in an old Domino Rally toy playset.

GCI Wooden coasters are completely framed and built on site. Even the metal track running plates are cut and bent on site. In regards to the other question at hand... the pattern by which they are building the coaster is based on ease of getting equipment in and out of the site. Shaggy

Heat... plain and simple. People didnt want to be outside. I even skipped it this year.

Has the park said if the coaster will be painted/stained? I love the look of fresh wood, but within 6 months, unstained wood turns grey. Just wondering about aesthetics... Shaggy

I hope this means all the light bulbs on top of the International Street Buildings get replaced and illuminated. :-) I experienced Winterfest several times. It was always a good deal of fun, albeit cccccccold. LOL! Actually I think 2005 Winterfest was the last time I ice skated.

It's called speculative marketing. They did so to drum up interest. Whether the coaster gets demolished, refurbished, rebuilt etc, CP made the news by announcing it as they did. Leaving it's outcome vague continues the online interest and speculation. Its not different than a press rep releasing a pic of a celebrity "out with" another celebrity. It causes people to speculate and talk about that relationship - whether it exists or not.

For those waiting for CP to announce a RMC conversion of Mean Streak.... I'll be shocked if they do. I expect the coaster to not be reopened/ready until 2018. It took nearly 12 months to overhaul Texas Giant (with a more cooperative climate)... and Mean Streak is essentially the *same* coaster as the original Texas Giant.

Don't believe the speculation - it's not going to have a drop track.

Not a drop track - the track level doesn't change from the shed to the station. It will likely be a heavily themed experience while sitting in the brake run. I would love to see lots of animated saws, hatchets etc.

I seriously doubt there's a drop track... That would involve engineering by the builder/manufacturer - the GCI Rep explicitly stated even he didn't know what would happen in the "shed." I expect what happens will fit the "mystic" theme... And the lumber mill theme on the outside of the structure. I think this is a perfect choice addition to the KI coaster collection. I love GCIs and am super excited they are going with the millennium flyer trains. For those naysayers - give it a chance. This thing will be an awesome night ride no doubt- and some of the best woodies are terrain hungers.

I would suspect this attraction will not be animal or creature themed - rather themed to logging, foliage, trees, etc. Think Timber Falls, Loggers Run, etc. I came up with Timber Falls as the name over a month or two ago. Right after I saw the "watch for falling trees" on the fence barrier. It's not a competition ;-) I expect KI came up with whatever the *actual* name is long before either of us made up one ;-) Oh, and a couple of parks have already used the name for flumes, rides etc. As a matter of fact, there's a whole park named "Timber Falls."

I would suspect this attraction will not be animal or creature themed - rather themed to logging, foliage, trees, etc. Think Timber Falls, Loggers Run, etc.