KIfan73

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...

It's about time!

I just happened to notice that today marks 5 years since I joined the KIC online community! I would just like to say how much fun it has been to read and participate in this website. It's been great meeting other members both online and some even in person. It's also been great to be able to learn so much about Kings Island-a place I've always found to be so interesting. Here's to another great 5 years!

The guy they interviewed for the video in this article seemed to know what he was talking about! http://www.wcpo.com/news/local/story/Kings...eKayIM6uhg.cspx

I chose #2 because I don't want to see anything get removed. If it's removed, then that's just one less thing in the park. It's not free to tear things down, so then that could cause something new to be built to be delayed.

The way I felt after the last couple times I rode SOB (both before and after the loop removal) was very similar to how I felt after my truck was T-boned a few years ago.

I doubt the timing of this meeting (as far as the season is concerned) is really an issue. However, I will point out that Tax Man opened discussions of the admissions tax at the last council meeting... which was something that was NOT originally scheduled to be discussed. He's trying to sneak this in quietly... at your expense. ...and while no one that will actually be footing the bill is around...

I assume it's no accident this is being brought up at a meeting after the season is over... I'm just picturing a mob of sweaty, tired, fanny-pack wielding park patrons/enthusiasts catching wind of this and heading straight to this meeting after pulling out of the Gold Pass lot.

That would be one interesting off-season blues party! And now that we know that some people at park believes that the "C" in KIC stands for complainers, i'm surprised that the park hasn't offered to bus all of us members over to the meeting...who knows what we could accomplish! I can smell the buffet at the International Street Restaurant pep rally already!

That would be one interesting off-season blues party!

It must work for Cedar Point... http://www.cfmarketplaces.com/stores/store...istmas-C63.aspx

Wild Thornberry's River Adventure!