Gordon Bombay

I took these while flying over the park last summer with a friend. The rest:

As mentioned earlier, there are multiple other SOB topics. Please refer to one of those, such as this one: http://www.KICentral.com/forums/index.php?/topic/25938-general-son-of-beast-discussion/

I don't know. I doubt he would go forward to the press/fair board without really having investors. It may be that at this time he legally can not name them. When I spoke with Hart on the telephone he genuinely seemed interested in reopening the park. The team I met with when I toured it was just as passionate. While I was hopeful for the Koch deal, it reeked of nonsense and a cout-de-tat ala Geauga Lake. From my own experience in the industry, the rides seemed in bad shape when I visited and later even the Koch's noted that their "ride experts" came to a similar conclusion. I call bullocks on Hart's 2014 projected opening. While it's always sad to see an amusement park closed regardless of its type or relevance to a local community, Kentucky Kingdom has been a bad deal since day one. The whole land and lease issue tied to a fair board that seems to have way too much political power for their own good just kills the whole idea. It's very telling that the only people who have been interested in the park since its closure are nearby competitors and the local man who originally built the park (and subsequently made good money from selling it). Six Flags seemed more than happy to wash their hands of the situation.

But wait, so many claimed they had inside info and that this isn't what was going to happen! To quote the Bosstones: "Where did you go?"

I do not believe so. If you take a look at Delirium's seats, they are bracketed and have different backs that fit to the Delirium gondola, the Crypt seats were similar, but different. There's a member of this site who knows for sure, I'll see if I can get him to rear his head.

Vegas actually had a family friendly image to go away from? They attempted too...They did not exactly succeed. It was pretty much a useless disaster. They were going for a year round vacation destination thing kind of like Disney does, except well Vegas is Vegas... They seem to have gotten back to just looking to attract adults now a days.

^The mini golf/haunted house thing by the Bob Evan's was actually owned by the same family that owned The Beach.

Why do people think that The Vortex is sinking?

^People use smart phones for a lot more than just social media.

Oh, no, I'm not doubting you, just didn't know if there was an article I missed or one I read over too quickly. It wouldn't surprise at all if they made some kind of promise like that. For all I know, maybe that's their plan. If I've learned anything in the past ten years it's that press releases (whether in the amusement industry or otherwise) should always be taken with a grain of salt. Regardless, I'm hopeful that they prevail in reopening it. I'd hate to see it become another Surf Cincinnati (not that I didn't enjoy Surf Cincinnati after it closed):

Looking more into this, I'm actually quite a bit skeptical. Maybe it's not totally comparable to the Bluegrass Boardwalk situation, but some recent posts have made me see why you made that comparison. Maybe I missed something, but where did management state they would add four water slides and a new wave pool? That seems awfully lofty of an investment for a company on contract to operate for one year with an option to buy. Not to mention, with negotiating this deal where would they have found the time to draw up plans for this expansion? Anyone remember when Bluegrass Boardwalk kept dropping hints of opening the entire park and then their "experts" came in and "evaluated" and things were scaled way back? Not saying these new folks would scale back or face the same exact challenges, but that's pretty lofty goal to start preaching. Here's to hoping it all works out though, The Beach can really attract a demographic KI misses out on and can do just fine right next door. Also, did anyone else notice the "new" manager is also the "former" manager?

^Apples and Oranges. Fair boards and New Owners.

^Can an idea be blown out of the water if it never existed in the first place?

I usually don't get into these completely useless Coaster A is better than Coaster B fights because it's all someone's opinion, but seriously? I'd ride my bike down Son of Beast's hill before ever riding Mantis again.

What may have given you that impression is how things used to be. When the ride opened up as Days of Thunder, that whole back section was themed/spruced up to reflect the new attraction. Instead of asphalt, there were multi colored pavers in the ground that formed a checkered flag (since Days of Thunder was a racing film). In the center of the midway, there were concrete benches around planters that also held signs with information about the ride technology/the film. The entrance beneath The Racer South turnaround even sported a large Days of Thunder sign and sound effects/music from the film played on the midway. It was a pretty grand area. As you walked under The Racer (the path has since been converted to a maintenance area for WindSeeker), you came out in between the turn arounds and there were all kinds of props. They had a few stock cars sitting about in paint schemes from the film (however, the car models were different from the cars in the film and were manufactured specifically to be on display at the attraction) and there was a truck with a replica camera on it and a Paramount logo showing how they filmed the movie. In the Days of Thunder years, both theatres ran the same film and had a small "scoreboard" in the middle that had ride information and Days of Thunder graphics. When James Bond took Days of Thunder's place, the props in the grassy plaza were gone and the center area between the theatres had a motorcyle from one of the films and other props that spun on the rotating platform. I don't remember when the "B Side" became a rotating film, but it may have been during James Bond. When 7th Portal debuted, the other side was almost always a different movie that rotated between some adventure film and "Smash Factory." The center prop area held cardboard signs of the super heroes from 7th Portal and the theatres were converted to 3D. When it became Spongebob, the whole thing got an overhaul, but that quickly faded after so many years of that same movie being repeated. Days of Thunder made a short return at the beginning of the 2004 season as well. When Dino's 3D rolled around, WindSeeker was built in what had once been the Action Theatre plaza, its original path repurposed as WS maintenance access and a new path was rerouted through the AT exit. The queue line was reconfigured and shortened, but if you look left when you enter the Dino 3D line you can still see the streetlights and the faded outline of the queue. They re-painted the building, side B was already a "haunt," and they installed a new projector and better 3D system while removing the motion seats. Dino's Alive 3D may not be the best movie, but you have to admit the quality is fantastic. Sorry for that tangent down Action Theatre memory lane.

I heard a rumor that this topic will soon be closed for that very reason.

I love how in all the park brochures from the 70's, food was just as much an attraction as the rides. KI seems to have gotten back to more of that this season, but for years the best restaurant at KI was the Skyline across the street.

Standbyme has an awesome thread (one of many) that shows a brochure from the campground in the 70's. Check it out here: http://www.KICentral.com/forums/index.php?/topic/25069-kings-island-70s-campground-brochure/ One of the highlights: kicamping1b.jpg Paramount said that they were interested in building a new camp ground and built a "modern" one at Carowinds in 2005(?) I believe that had wi-fi hookup and other modern amenities. Paramount's plans, if they had even gone beyond the discussion stage, were probably scrapped when the company changed hands not soon after.

The lift has been there since the ride opened. It's there so that a person utilizing a wheel chair could enjoy the ride's theming and "pre-show" and then have access into the flying saucer. Since 1996 though, I think the novelty of the queue has worn off. You have to remember though that when that ride opened - the theming was right on par with Disney and while an excellent effort has been made in past years to revive it somewhat - it's a shell of its former self. Still today you can find hints of how elaborate the theming was. The announcements out front in "the base," the outdoor queue line radio that references Richmond and Cincinnati UFO sightings (the two cities of the parks that opened the rides) and even if you watch the pre-show it tied in with the voices that give you instructions in the station. At one point the ride ops even wore military like berets and uniforms that had the "Bureau of Paranormal Activity" patch on them.

My friend Jake runs a really good blog called The Cincinnati Monocle. Today he posted about how he was remembering a time when MTV's mid 90's DJ show "The Grind" visited Kings Island in the summer of 1995. He recalls how it wasn't really the actual show or cast, but a poor stand in for it which seems about right for Viacom pushing their MTV brand in the park during those days. More and videos of the actual MTV show (not the one at Kings Island): Remembering when MTV's The Grind visited King's Island... I don't remember this event at KI nor do I remember the show on MTV, granted I was pretty young when this was happening, but does anyone remember any of those or did they go to it?

^That's such a broad definition it could be used for any business. Healthcare is life and death, Fast Lane is short wait or long wait for an amusement park ride. Come on.

Or place his own ugly mug on it.

^I think it's just the fact that it's something completely new, not to the industry, but to the park. You also need to keep in mind the demographic KI attracts compared to a major operation like a Disney or Busch. Generally people vacationing in Florida have a lot more discretionary income than a blue collar Midwestern family spending one day at a Kings Island.

You don't have to be rich to enjoy a day at the park nor do you have to be rich to afford Fast Lane passes. There's more to KI than just rides. When I was a kid, the only time my parents could take us was on the weekends. The lines were long, the park was packed and we only rode what us kids demanded while my parents waited in line. My parents loved those days and those were my favorite days I ever spent at the park. While KI's Fast Lane system is one of low overhead and one of the most "interesting" operations in the industry, it's a tiered experience like any other place. Last night I went to go watch the Reds play the Diamondbacks. I sat in the outer view level and ate two $1 hot dogs and a $1 bag of peanuts. I spent $12 the entire night and watched a miserable game from the nosebleeds, but I still enjoyed myself. I could've just as easily spent more money to sit behind home plate and snag a diamond seat of stub hub. Every Friday my boss and I go eat at a cheap chinese buffet while some of our coworkers go out for steaks - we don't resent them for spending their money on that. Life is what you make of it and even if money were non-existent, objects have value and wealth has value. It's not worth worrying about who has what or who can afford more.

Riverbend, PNC Pavillion, MidPoint Music Festival and now Bunberry have pretty much made Timberwolf obsolete for any "big name" acts. Have any of you ever been to a concert at Timberwolf? It's an awful venue.