KIfan73

Since it seems like the new "theme" of Action Zone is to bring back things from the "dead" (SoB's former spot, The Bat), I think adding some animatronic zoo animals to the wooded area around The Bat, Banshee, and Adventure Express would be nifty...

I think Kings Island definitely needs to add some more "relaxing" rides...this would be one I wish they would have never removed, along with the antique cars and KCKC.

Those Titanic pictures are great to see. I visited the park with a girl that really wanted to see it, but I barely remember it. I must not have brought my camera for that trip! Wasn't it set up just to the right as you entered IS?

I hate to say it, but these smaller details get me more excited to visit than anything else.

How cool would it be for Kings Island to someday "reveal" the park addition that Mike Brady designed?

I would love to know the price of one of those trains. My guess it would have the price tag of a very high end sports car. I'm sure it has the engineering to match, as well.

This is a family photo from (I think it was called) Shawnee Landing(?) Was the hiking trail in this area?

easy: zephyr hard: scrambler expert: Firehawk from Firehawk's queue

Easy: Festhaus Hard: Diamondback in mid-splash Expert: Picture from any opening day

It's definitely the off-season. I was reading some old threads just last night, and came this close to replying to a certain one and bringing it "into the future".

I can't imagine that this system is cheap, but it must be less expensive than not having it. That's what truly boggles the mind.

There is one of these in Myrtle Beach. I've heard lots of stories about the place, but I've never been. The thing that gets people the most is watching the guests that are eating there seemingly without knowing what kind of place it is.

^Skylab was a really fun ride.

What kind of music is played at the Disney parks?

^Thanks. I have to wonder how many people, when shown that photo, would even know it was at Kings Island. That area is kind of like being in a time machine.

With the temperature hovering in the single digits right now, with more wintry chill in the forecast, I've been enjoying looking at some of my warm weather KI pics. Some of my visits I can remember it being VERY hot, which is a nice thought right now (at least to me) with this frigid weather. I thought I'd start a thread where you can post a pic of a visit where you can remember it being during the dog days of summer. If you know the date of your visit, you can go to this link http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KHAO/2014/1/1/DailyHistory.html?req_city=NA&req_state=NA&req_statename=NA to find out what the temp was on that date! Here is mine: This is July 23, 2012. According to wunderground.com, it was 95 degrees that day! I bet Congo was a real popular ride that day.

That's funny, I was just thinking about that yesterday. I think they did a great job with Diamondback - especially how they incorporated/breathed new life into the "old house" that you exit through. I actually think it goes fairly well with whatever theme they are going for in RT. However, it has just always felt so out of place to me. It just doesn't seem like a roller coaster should be there.

Although I've come to appreciate it through reading about it here on the forums, I wasn't overly impressed with PT. I remember some friends and I came upon it sometime during the mid '90's (I was around 20 at the time), and tried it out. It was definitely unique, but to me, it just seemed really out of place. It seemed too dark and depressing to be in an amusement park, although I've come to understand that was its theme. As for what's in there now, I think it's horribly half-a#$ed. I think it's a glaring fault in the middle of a world-class park full of world-class attractions. BTW, PT is the first thing I ever rode in that building. I did ride EV once, but I was too young to remember it.

I have to say the Color Me Pink 5k on opening day.

I'm trying to imagine what a Kings Island version of that ride would be like.

Does this count? Easy: Viking Fury Hard: Pic inside of Flight of Fear's exit area (area where you exit the coaster train) Expert: Inside of one of KI's arcades

I've posted this before, but here's a no-frill video of a visit I made in 2011. It's pretty much a whole day condensed into 3 minutes. I just watched it again today. Hopefully it can help someone's off-season blues just a bit!

The best piece of advice I can tell you about all of your questions is that visiting Kings Island is a skill that can't ever be mastered. It's not like driving to someplace out in the country to unwind. You really have to be on your toes and be thinking all the time. Does this mean it's not fun? Of course not. I have being going for 20+ years, some members on here much longer. Just keep in mind there are things you'll learn on every visit that you go, and you'll probably always do something different on each visit than you did on the visit before that.

easy: inside Beast queue hard: inside one of KI's shops expert: pic of a performance at KI theater

Great trip report and pics! Thanks for sharing. I just have to throw this pic in to go along with the ones above: Entry plaza on opening day - 4/27/13 - hard to believe a whole season came and went between that pic and the pics above! Merry Christmas!