KIfan73

I am about 50 miles south of Columbus. School cancelled today with about 2-3 inches on the ground. More snow is predicted all week. I just hope we can still have school!

Wow, I have never seen that before, and had no idea that the Paramount KI sign was supposed to look like that. You learn something new every day!

I think all that old stuff should be used to decorate a "secret" KIC lounge hidden somewhere in the park!

I don't know about anybody else, but I really like seeing that calendar. Won't be long!

What kind of ride was Gullivers Rub a Dub? Was it in H-B land?

Those are awesome!

That water tower in Action Zone is also missing. I don't know if that was already posted I'm to lazy to look. That map looks really empty with out Son of Beast. Then what do you think of this one? (from themeparkbrochures.net)

I don't think it would be the first time it's happened.

Kings Island's web site hasn't really given the impression as being the management's first priority...I wouldn't rely on any information that's on it as evidence of anything as important as the possible removal of a major ride.

106 days and 14 hours, or thereabouts...

As far as the kids' area goes, I feel bad for any kids who loved Nick. I also hate that Scooby is leaving. Personally, though, I'm looking forward to Snoopy in 2010! I've never been a fan of anything Nick related even when I was a kid growing up.

This thread reminded me of a really sad story from my hometown. A year after I graduated from high school, a local senior was killed on the way home from grad night at KI. I didn't know him personally, but some of my good friends did. Do they even still do grad night? I can remember leaving to go home from school (during my senior year) on the day many students were headed to grad night (1991!). I can still remember all the trunk lids open and seeing all the cases of beer.

That simple fact, then, has me more concerned about Kings Island's future than anything. Whether good or bad, Kings Island has always been used as sort of (in my own words) an advertising vehicle for a larger company (sort of like Disney Parks), which, to me, the park owed some of its mystique to. People LOVE mystique. After watching "Riding History to the Limits", I was confused when Mr. Wachs said he was concerned about Kings Island becoming too commercial. It seems to me that Kings Island was WAY more commercial then than now, with so many ties to outside companies. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it may seem like a good idea to bolt a snowplow to a Corvette, but any time you use something in ways other than what it was originally designed for, you're asking for trouble.

So, until Cedar Fair, Kings Island had always been owned by media companies?

I am interested in knowing why Kings Island's original owner (Taft?) unloaded the park.

I don't think I'd ever seen the conoes before. Also, the buildings on IS look so intricate in the photos.

Yes, as far as I know, that's the Enchanted Voyage building.

Mmmm....these are as yummy as a piece of leftover pumpkin pie! Was at my aunt's house for Christmas dinner and was browsing through some old photo albums when I came across these photos. These are from August 21, 1972, a trip with my mom, aunt, and uncle (I wasn't born yet!): Behind the "new" Kings Island Inn: I believe this is where The Beast is now: In front of the KI Inn (my mom's new 1970 GTO Judge that she really wishes she still had): These are a year later, August, 1973: I hope you enjoyed these!

I was just looking at my pics from last year's event in January. I have a feeling that something like that may not happen again, and I'm really glad I got to attend it....

Is this some kind of marketing gimmick?

Wow, I'm glad I got to ride King Cobra. Such a great ride, and also such a contrast to the concrete jungle appearance that new rides always seem to have. By the way, I much prefer the Halloween decorations at the entrance to the park in '98 than I do now...

Well, it's more selection than we've ever had before...

Was home sick today, and was just browsing through some of my photo albums and came across a pic I took during the KIC day in August of 2008. I harp on here sometimes how great the old, less popular rides are at KI (Viking Fury, WWC,), but take a look at this pic of Congo Falls! I don't even remember taking this picture, and I'm definitely not trying to brag about any photography skills-it was a total accident. When you look at this, it doesn't even look like it's at Kings Island. I think it's a shame that you see more and more blacktop and cement at the park, and how much attention to detail they used to be able to put into rides, even smaller ones. Plus, it's just a great way to share a cool pic of the park!

Great pic! My new desktop background.

Though it is rather funny to see people walking around carrying giant bananas. I think I remember reading in an old Kings Island brochure that they used to hold your purchases for you until you left...