Shaggy

How do I know? I was told by park management. It is not a big secret. There are lots of esthetic improvements for next year. There's another that no-one is talking about that may surprise and please some. And no, it is not a ride..... Back to the fountains.... there was a tremdous problem with the Fountain leaking plus the filtration and pumping system was completely outdated. Honestly, most will not be able to tell that much of a difference, but the thing is a mess right now. Shaggy

Yes, but they have been removed for the current renovation. They are being re-furbished too. Shaggy

No Cinema 180 did not cost extra. Shaggy

Yes.... still undergoing a complete overhaul. Guests probably won't even notice it come opening, but the fountains are the site of a big construction mess right now. Shaggy

"The damage to the Top Gun train was irrepairable. It was like an explosion. Nothing was left but one of the supports that the train hung from." That is an exaggeration. I saw the train, and although heavily damaged, it was not in tiny bits and pieces like it exploded. You make it sound like someone threw a dynamite stick in it. Obviously the fiberglass shell was destroyed, and there was significant harm done to the front chassis, but the bulk of damage only affected the front half of the train. I am sure the entire train was replaced, but good parts from the un-damaged train sections were more than likely kept for replacement parts. Don't forget that there were also pictures that appeared on the web at the time of the accident that showed the train stalled in the collision area with only the front half covered by a tarp. Shaggy

Anyway they have the incidents reversed. The pond accident happened before to the Flight Commander incident . Actually about an hour or two prior. When the FC incident happened, investigators first thought the woman that fell had been trying to see what was going on in the Octoberfest area and squirmed out of the restraint to see into the closed area of the park. That was later proved false. Shaggy

Cinema 180 was fun, but I recall one of the final years it had a movie that featured flying in a helicopter, rafting over rapids and a rollercoaster. Ironically the rollercoaster it featured was "The Beast." I remember thinking to myself "Jimminy Crickets, why doesn't everyone just go ride it for real rather than watch a movie of it?" Shaggy

The "basket" like spinning ride that you are referring to was indeed a round-up. The name PKI called it was "Halley's Comet." The ride lasted from 1972 until 1982. It was located in two seperate locations during it's life at KI. First, it sat right about where the high striker game is now on Coney Mall. Coney Mall, then called "Old Coney" ended right where the Zephyr (or Swings) are now. In 1975, Old Coney was expanded and lenthened. At this point Halley's Comet was relocated to the rear of Coney Mall right where the entrance plaza to Action Theatre now sits. It was a ride that came from Cincinnati's Coney Island when that park ceased and KI opened. There are still two round-ups in the area.... one at Lesordesville Lake and one at, ironically, Coney Island. Neither is the model that KI used.... it was junked. Also, Holiday World in Indiana has one that is often rumored to be the former KI attraction, but that rumor is false. Regarding the other rides people have mentioned: - The Rotor, the other KI original stand-up spinning ride, was located just behind International Street in the area of the Festhaus. It was a ride transferred from Cincinnati's Coney Island as well and, ironically enough, was removed around the same time as Halley's Comet. - Wheel of Fortune was a Chance Trabant and was located exactly where the "Nick Central" sign is now next to the Rivertown Bathrooms. It opened with the park and lasted until the mid-1980's. It was one of a very few Trabants that cycled both forwards and backwards. It was replaced with Scrappy's Slide which is also now defunct. -Zodiac was a large Intamin double Sky Wheel located at the back of Old Coney where the Euro Bungee trampolines and Laser Tag now reside. It was added for the Old Coney expansion in 1975 and lasted until the late 1980's when Flight Commander was added in it's place. The ride was relocated to Wonderland Sydney a KI sister park, where it still operates as one of the few remaining Sky Wheels. - Sunshine Turnpike was a huge kids mini-sportscar attraction that was located where the Nick area now sits. At the time, it formed the rear of HB land. It dissapeared prior to the addition of Nickelodeon. - Cuddle Up was a spinning, teacup like ride located in Old Coney. It shared a building with Dodgems for years before the area was expanded. The building that housed them still exists and is now home to the Rock Shop. The rear is used for storage and for a Haunted Attraction during Fearfest. Both rides came from Cincinnati's Coney Island. When Coney was once again updated in the mid-1980's the Dodgems were replaced with a larger version at the site of the Flying Eagles, which moved to their present day location at back corner of Coney Mall. - Bayern Curve was located where the Sling Shot now sits. It had an extensive Bavarian Olympic theme and ran from 1973 (It was added for the park's 2nd season along with Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal, the International Resteraunt and the Flying Dutchman.) until 1983. It was removed for the addition of King Cobra. - The Flying Dutchman was located right where the exit to Adventure Express now is. If you look at the pavement in that area, and around the remote control cars, you can see the outline of the old que/loading area. The ride ran through 1990 when it was removed for the addition of Adventure Express. - Tumble Bug was a Schwarzkopf antique that came from Cincinnati's Coney Island where it operated for many, many years. It was located in Old Coney near The Racer's entrance where the basketball toss now sits. It operated at KI until around 1985 when it was removed for the addition of Skylab. Sadly, the ride was junked and discarded having entertained literally thousands of people for decades. It, IMO, was one of the silliest removals KI ever made. - Skylab was a Huss Giant Enterprise. Only three ever existed and KI had one of them. It was added in 1986, I think, and lasted until the mid-1990s. It was a maintenance nightmare in which the hydraulic arm would "fail" and the wheel would drop to the ground with a loud "THUD." The ride, althrough a guest favorite, took the place of the Tubble Bug. It was removed after the park deemed the ride too costly to repair and unsafe. It sat idle for a full season before it was fianlly removed. The que and drivers booth (also used for the TB) still exists and can be seen next to The Racer's exit. It has been enclosed, and is used for storage of plush prizes. Only one Giant Enterprise still exists, and it is at KI's sister park Paramount's Canada's Wonderland. - Der Spinner Keggers was located in Octoberfest where the airbrushed T-shirt stand now sits. It was built by Chance, I believe, and was a brand new ride when the park opened. It lasted until the mid 1980's. It was basically a large cuddle-up spinning ride that sat on a tilted platform, much like the Calypso rides of yesteryear. It was themed to Bavarian beer barrels. A smaller, but similarly themed version operates at Canada's Wonderland to this day. - There are plantly of others that I neglected to mention.... the Flying Carpet Slide, Scrappy's Slide, Gulliver's Rub-A-Dub-Tubs, the Puppet Tree, McScrappy's Farm, the House of Cards, Winnie Witch's Cauldrons, Flight Commander, Cinema 180, the Octoberfest Ferris Wheel, the Congo Elephant rides, etc etc etc..... but I have spent way too much time on this post already. Shaggy

Jungle Jims is actually a grocery store in Fairfield Ohio. But calling it a grocery store is quite an understatment. It is it's own "unique" experience. It started as a fruit stand and eventually became a store. It began featuring cuisine and hard to find products from around the world. Over time, Jim added fountains, decorations and animated characters to keep the kids entertained. Eventually the decor got more and more elaborate and business grew right with it. Last I heard, there was a plan to eventually build a hotel on site. People come from miles away just to go. Here is a link below. If you want to see the former PKI monerail as it looks today, just use the link below, choose attractions from the menu then scroll all the way down on that page. Shaggy Jungle Jims

I didn't say that the elephant was on display. Rather, that they had bought it. Fact is. Jungle Jims has it in storage. Just about 3 years ago, a handful of Fairfield High School Seniors were arrested for trying to sneak it out of storage to place it on the lawn of the high school as a senior prank. That was how I learned they had bought it. Shaggy

Not sure. The Zoo housed some of the animals in the off season during the latter years, so perhaps. However by the time the ride closed for good, most of the animals had gone away. I recall riding it in it's last year and only seeing a handfull of animals... as opposed to hundreds in it's heyday. Shaggy

The Monerail was actually called the "Wild Animal Safari." The main station building was located right about where Drop Zone's Queue building and the Skyfler are now. It left the building in the direction of the (now) Days of Thunder Go-Karts area. It then traversed behind King Cobra, through the Adventure Express area then through the (now)FOF area and back into the back left corner of the property. It then circled around and made it's way back to the station via the lands near Top gun that now houses Son of Beast. Many of the old sheds that housed the animals can still be found on the property, as well as markings from the former ponds and "Preserves" built for them. The ride was broken down into areas or "Preserves" based on the animal type. For instance, you would have the "Nairobi Preserve" that would house the Hippos etc. Guests rode in enclosed trains that traversed a concrete path with a center guide rail. Each train was motorized and had a driver and narrator. The driver was necessary to stop the monerail whenever animals neared the train or crossed the track ahead.... which they often did. The narrator, of course explained the areas and gave information over a louspeaker about the animals and preserves. When the terrain dictated...such as in the Adventure Express area, the path was elevated up on large concrete pillars. The attraction was added in 1974 when KI opened the "Wild Animal Habitat" portion of the park which later became Adventure Villiage and is now Action Zone. The attraction closed after the 1993 season. It only operated for 1 season under Paramount ownership. In it's final years, the ride was free, but prior had cost a nominal fee. What many do not recall is that it operated nearly year round. And folks could visit the attraction in the off-season for several years. The ride's remains sat in storage until about 4 years ago when Jungle Jims in Fairfield bought it, along with the squirting blue elephant from Hannah Barberra Land. In it's History, the Wild Animal Habitat made national news several times... once when a lion keeper was mauled and killed, once when a female was denied a job there as a trainer and filed a lawsuit, once when several baboons escaped and were retrieved in many nearby neighborhoods, and a few times when animals were born in captivity. Shaggy

Pardon me. The park was kind enough to send them to me as well and I thought people here would enjoy seeing them. I don't frequent every single PKI site regularly so I didn't know they were posted already. I was just attempting to be kind. Shaggy

I cannot say I have ever dreamed of PKI. But I have had numerous "feel like I am still riding a ride while in bed" moments. These come just as you are falling asleep after a day at any park. You feel like the bed or room is moving around you. It is a pretty cool thing. Shaggy

For those wishing to see recent looks of PKI in the winter, I uploaded two very recent pics of a couple PKI popular attractions.... enjoy. By the way, these pics are for viewing only and should not be re-used elsewhere without permission. http://members.aol.com/jhnktr/images/trtrentrance.jpg http://members.aol.com/jhnktr/images/beast...stfirstdrop.jpg Shaggy

The actual reason was because they re-routed the exit. The exit used to backtrack under the station and exit into the now fenced off area between Beast and Tomb Raider (then KCKC.) That area is now used for Vending/Ecology storage. The new exit ramp was extended to run along side the turn out of the station and then next to what is now the 1st que house. This allowed the park to add the on-ride photo booth and create an exit plaza for people waiting for riders. Prior, people had gathered next to the entrance creating a bottleneck and traffic jam. The low lying new exit path required that the water be drained. It also aided by eliminating the need for a circulation pump. Even though it had one, the water still smelled and attracted mosquitoes as somone else mentioned. But also, the unclenaliness of the guests made for constant trash floating in the pond. There was a small boat that ride ops had to use nightly to gather floating trash from the pond. What many do not realize is that the Photo Booth for Beast took the place of one of the original queue houses. Prior to the exit being re-routed there was another entire que area that was used for extremely busy days. Although a fence covers most of it now, the concrete pad still exists. Shaggy

Or quite possibly with the cold weather and high winds we have had lately, coupled with the shutdowns that PKI has for Thanksgiving and Christmas, it was decided it was in the best interest of the maintenance fellas to wait. Shaggy

What I like about the current rides on the PKI maps over the past few years is the attention to details. How so? If you look at the 1972 map shown here for instance, the train is going the wrong way, the antique cars are headed in the opposite direction, etc etc etc. Although the latest PKI maps may have a cartoon flair to them, at least they have accuracies... you can thank Jeffrey Siebert for that.... he oversees them. Finally, in the early to mid 1990's KI's maps hit an all-time low. With just boxes and generalities for rides and locations... no detail whatsoever. As the decade progressed, there was a bit more focus on making them more legible. However below is an example of one that will give you an idea of how much they have improved. This one is from 1997 and is actually pretty good compared to some earlier in the decade... believe it or not. http://www.themeparkbrochures.com/maps/199...97/pki1997.html Shaggy

SML828 said: "You do realize the only reason the old VP left the park is because they wanted him to do the same good things he had done for PKI at PKD..." Actually the GM of PKI and VP of Paramount Parks Tim Fisher was transferred to Paramount's Great America this season to aid that park. Paramount Parks restructured their management teams this season and because of Mr. Fisher's success at PKI he was asked to aid PGA and moved there. Craig Ross took his place and is, from what I hear, doing a great job. In reference to PKI "needing" a coaster... PKI will still get coasters from time to time, but not as frequently as in the past. The demand for various types of attractions by surveyed guests has dictated that they continue to focus on overall improvements to the park rather than one single capitol expenditure. Don't like it? Don't blame PKI, they are only doing what the GP wants them to. Shaggy

Sorry to anyone that may work in PKI entertainment. The shows at PKI are embarassing. For a park chain that is owned by the most widely recognized and well respected movie Studios, their entertainment stinks. I will admit that "Graveyard Shift" was the best sing/dance show of the past 10 years, but that isn't saying much. Why since 1990, we as guests have been subjected to the likes of "Cheer's the musical", "Entertainment Tonight Live" etc etc etc. For some reason, parks have fallen into this trap of thinking everyone wants to see pop/hip hop shows headed by a cast of 4 16-year olds. Not true. Years ago, KI had shows that were really great. Why, one show in-particular "Celebration" was so popular it ran for several seasons and culminated with a cast album being sold and recorded. The difference was, it had a cast of like 25, was heavy on scenery, costumes and lighting, and even had a live orchestra that played for it. Compare that to today's shows that literally have a cast of less than 10 of which only 4 are singers and the rest is canned. Because PKI is local to CCM (Cincinnati Conservatory of Music) they have a wealth of performers to draw from. However, park entertainment is considered the bottom of the barrel by most professional performers... especially when they do not even pay scale wages. Thus the park resorts to casting teenagers, no offense, that really lack the training and experience. Every now and then, you see or hear someone who is really outstanding. But typically, they are smart enough to not last long. Paramount, did bring in the ice show for many years, but that ended with budget cuts. Truth is, Paramount Parks is cutting park entertainment left and right... they consider it an non-profit expense. It really is a bad move, IMO. Right now there is a thing called the "greying of America" as the baby-boomers are entering their golden years. The draw for older adults is not rollercoasters or thrill rides, and they must be given something to do or see at parks in order to enjoy themselves. Shaggy

I will not be at the shoot. Originally the shoot was going to take place as a "surprise" after the final Beast ride on Nov 3rd. But that didn't happen and the PKI folks told me that day about the reschedule to the 16th. But I already had plans to be at another park that weekend so I turned them down. I sure hope everyone has fun, it sounds as though it will be a blast! You'll have to forgive me for not remembering you specifically from the URC event. That day at PKI was quite hectic for me (as you can imagine... Sonny being temperamental.) I met lots of people and am the worlds worst with placing names/faces. I am sure if I saw you it would click. Have fun, I hope to hear lots about it! Shaggy

I would recommend this to anyone curious about the interior of the ride building itself. ... not for phototgraphical purposes (don't bring your cameras) but for gawking's sake. You are almost guaranteed a look at the ride with the lights turned on during the filming. And it is a sight to behold! I was fortunate enough to ride with the lights turned on and the ffects turned down on media day and it was then that I realized the immense size and scope of this thing. Give's you a new appreciation for it. Shaggy

The problem with International Street is not the lights. It is the fountain.... word has it that it is in desperate need of repair. We're talking jackhammering it up and building a new one at an outrageous cost to the park. I would suspect that we will see a spruce up to International Street, but I cannot imagine it happening in a year with other known capitol expenses. Shaggy

KI trivia quiz: The Paramount Story was called "Tower Gardens" prior to the Paramount buyout. However, when the park was built that area was home to a rather large attraction. The attraction was removed by the 1980's and revamped into the garden area we know today. What was the attraction that opned there with the park, and what was unique about it? Dane- You do know that there was no "Phantom" in Phantom Theatre right? There were plenty of phantom-like characters, (Hilda Bovine, Willard Warbler, Lyonel Burymore, Houdilini, The Mighty Bosco, etc etc etc) but none were named "Phantom." Many confuse the character "Maestro" (the lead character) for the "Phantom." Shaggy

Tomb Raider operated all season using the same ride movements. Yes, Huss Top Spins are able to be programmed with different intensity levels, or ride programs. However, Tomb Raider's ride cycle has not been altered from it's opening program. TR:TR has a very complex light and sound system. There have been changes to the effects, sounds and lights, but the actual movement of the carriage has not changed. I have seen the effects change many times. Some times there are sparks, some times there are not, sometimes the statue's eyes move, sometimes they do not, sometimes the statues turns evil, sometimes it does not etc etc etc. Why, on media day, the park was still trying effect settings and was asking folks which they preferred. Each time, the ride movement was identical, just with different effect uses and timings. The water is adjustable by maintenance. This allows the park to adjust the height of the water jets according to their wishes. When the pressure is increased, the giesers raise to a desired level and can "hit" riders. The wetness of the ride did change over the season depending upon how the operations folks were feeling. By the way, the geisers are random and no front row seat is a guaranteed to be dry. I personally have never known a third row rider to get wet, since that protion of the carriage is the farthest from the water. Tomb Raider's ride cycle is 2 minutes long. Fact is, they crammed so much in that it seems to fly by. The swelling fast-paced orchestrations (written specifically for the ride) also make the time pass quickly. The ride cycle did not change because it is timed with the soundtrack. The park is exploring and extended ride cycle time, but must invest in an extended soundtrack to do so. I have a feeling we may see this change, but there are no guarantees. I am sure that the cost of revamping the soundtrack is not cheap. PKI will have to weigh the importance of it, and if the attraction warrants more future capitol investment. Who knows, we may soon see Tomb Raider: The Extended Dance Mix. I personally love Tomb Raider. I have a feeling that in the future it will become one of those rides that people do not feel they 'have" to ride. Lines may dwindle. I had wanted PKI to install ride of this type after I had experienced Houdini at Great Adventure and New England. After I rode those, my thoguhts were "Man this would be a killer ride at PKI!" Well PKI went a step furthur and rally made a great experience with a ride unit that is actually pretty common in parks today. A lot of enthusiasts mouth off about being "deceived" or "duped" by PKI since the park decided to keep the ride unit secret. However those folks can only blame themselves for buying into the hype. IMO the hype was as corny and campy as the ride itself.... and that is why I love it. I find it a really hilarious attraction. It tries so hard to take itself seriously, yet makes me laugh more than most other rides in the park. Why watching the statues eyes move back and forth is my favorite (and most corny) part. In a year when I lost a must do attraction (I rode Phantom Theatre EVERY time I visited PKI) I was relieved to find something took it's place. TR:TR is now a must do for me and I did not skip it on any visit to PKI this year. Shaggy