KIfan73

That's funny, Google Photos just sent a "remember this day" notification about that date...I can't believe that's been 9 years ago! Here's a few pics from that day:

A quick conceptual sketch I did for a restaurant featuring some classic Coney design elements:

Didn't want to start a new thread for this, but thought I'd post it here. Love seeing things like this...

I would love to learn how long Kings Island, initially, planned for that building - as well as the ride in it - to last. It's easy to get lost in a park the size of Kings Island, but that is a massive, multi-million dollar, fully functioning (HVAC, electricity, plumbing, etc.) structure that ended up having a functioning lifespan of roughly a decade.

Ha! I thought the title of this thread sounded familiar. I can't believe how long ago it was that I created it. It also dawned on me this past summer that it had been 25 years since the visit that this thread was created about. I was going to attempt to visit Kings Island on the exact same date (25 years later), but I ended up just missing it by a week!

I don't see a campground coming anytime soon to the Kings Island area. Unless you grew up then, there's no way to describe how popular camping was during the '70's when Kings Island opened their campground. If you drove down the street of your average neighborhood, there was a camper parked in probably more than half of the driveways. While Kings Island definitely had a convenient place for guests to stay close the park, they were also taking advantage of a VERY popular pastime/lifestyle of the era.

As was mentioned earlier in this thread, the opening song to this video should sound familiar....

I really hate to see DA go. I always enjoyed being able to get away from the regular park a little bit and walk through the woods. I was always impressed with the dinosaurs, as well. Where else could you go and see life sized dinosaurs like that?? Kings Island built their reputation by having many attractions - not limited to just rides - that were world class, and I thought DA was a great example of one.

If you click on the "August 1972 & August 1973 TR" link in my signature, there are some pics taken from that deck BITD.

Call me naive, but when the Smokehouse "restaurant" in Soak City was announced, I picturing a real, you know, restaurant. I was surprised to go in the first time to find out it was basically a large (but very nice) building simply containing only a very long queue line for a twenty foot long cafeteria-style serving station. I think they reeeaaalllly stretched the definition of "restaurant" on that one. A sit down version would be a nice thing, but I imagine that cafeteria style and picnic tables is what we will get.

I would argue that Mystic Timbers was the first addition to the park in maybe 30 years that truly fits in with the original "theme" of the area that it sits in, so maybe there is hope!

There's hardly anyone that would like to see Kings Island preserve the historical accuracy of Coney Mall (I'd even vote for them to rename it Coney Island) more than me. Having said that, how many visiting the park today in 2017 know what section of that park is themed to? To be honest, when I was a "casual" visitor in the '90's-early '00s, I had no idea that area was themed to the original Coney Island (I didn't even know there was such a thing). In 1972, it was completely understandable to dedicate an area to what was, merely months earlier, one of the most popular amusement parks in the world that was closed down in order to build this new Kings Island park. I bet you could ask 1,000 people on a given day in Coney Mall (is there even technically such a thing now?) and ask them why the area looks like it does, and I doubt if 5 people could tell you.

At one time on these boards, that might have been called a diversion.

I have a feeling that a lot more people in Warren County might go to the County Fair next year.

The county fair in Mecklenburg might even make things odder!

County Fairs are awfully popular in Ohio.

I'm 85 miles away from Kings Island, but I'm still always a little bummed out the first day it's not open.

That is actually kind of awe-inspiring. Cedar Point, obviously, has many fantastic coasters, but for me, personally, it's the first one that makes me want to make a trip to there to ride!

I think so much of the Royal Fountains that I work sitting and watching them into every visit. Sometime I think I'm going to come one visit and just spend most of the time sitting by them. They are amazing, for anywhere in the world, let alone that we have something like that here in southern Ohio.

It's important to keep in mind that any system(s) that Kings Island develops must be implemented by a 15 year old that more likely than not is working their first-ever job.

The price of fuel always comes up when discussing a return of the Antique cars. I don't think a lot of people have realized that the energy used to tug multiple-ton coaster trains up lift hills all day long isn't free.

@KingsMills79 Of all the many Kings Island stories I have heard, that has to be one of the best! Going to school next door (can't imagine!) to Kings Island? Being bused right to the front gate? Beast themed Corvettes?? Awesome story, thanks for sharing!!

Posted July 1:

Rode it the first time in June of 2000; last time was during Haunt 2007. Was always extremely rough and painful. An awe-inspiring structure, though. If someone never got to see it in person, pictures won't do it justice. It was absolutely massive. Still a real shame that it had to go down.

Cool Google-generated pano from my visit on July 17: