jbeast

I still remember the last day and evening Flying the Eagles at KI. By the end of that night, it was a very somber and heartfelt feeling for so many people there. I, as well as many, many others absolutely loved that ride. It had a following to say the least. It was by far my favorite flat ride ever. I just could not believe KI was losing that ride at the time. The wild, out of control feeling you could get on the original Eagles was a pure joy! And, along with the bumper cars, every single ride was different in some way. Which made it even more of a cherished ride. One of my most hopeful wishes is that they would bring them back from Carowinds. I appreciate KI installing another version, but it pales in comparison to the original. Even after all these years passed, I still despise that basketball game in the place of such an incredible ride.

I remember the original Winterfest vaguely and it was a really fun night in the cold winter of Ohio. Then it was gone. And now it's back and I get to ride some of my favorite rides and enjoy the lights and atmosphere of the park at this time of year again. I just enjoy the experience for the opportunity and knowledge that this event can go away just like that again. I won't get into the back and forth of what shows are there this year or not. I will find plenty to do at the park when I visit as always. Through it all, we are more than lucky to have such an amazing park to call our own.

That would be amazing! I was lucky enough as a young teenager to have access to the stairs and that level one year I remember...think maybe I was 12-13 at the time. Got some great old photos of The Bat and Beast from that vantage point. As well as some of the other side of the park. I always wished that they would open it back up. VIP Lounge up there would be epic!

I was at KD a few years back and had not been there since I was a young kid. I was just floored by the tree cover in some parts of the park last time I visited. It really added to the ambience of the park and a lot of shade space on a hot summer day. I was thinking to myself, wow, I wish KI still had this many mature trees. KI had some of that same feel back in the early 80's, especially the shaded tunnel. There are some nice, shaded areas left at KI. Of course, taking out the Taxis for Back Lot in the middle of the park did not help either in that regard! Never been a big fan of Backlot. It took the place of The Eagles which still hurts my heart! Don't get me started on the stupid basketball game there either! Ha!

My son and I went last Saturday afternoon. Got on The Beast around 6pm and by the time we were walking down the exit, the bottom que lines were already full. Went over to Adventure Express and it was about a 30 minute wait. Then went over to Orion to be greeted by a completely full que line. It was insanely crowded more so than I can remember. The fog was in effect but it was a bit breezy. We decided it was just too crowded to enjoy any longer, so enjoyed watching people getting scared in Coney Mall (Where it was really foggy), grabbed a bite to eat and headed out. The attendance and lines were just insane. I expected it to be busy of course. But we were both taken back just how crowded the park was.

Ahh the good old days of Fearfest! It has become quite a bit tamer it seems over the years. I can remember the fog being so dense quite a few years back that while riding Drop Zone at the time, you could not see the ground halfway up. It was like you went up into the clouds. It lent a fantastic and a bit scarier ride with all the fake fog covering the ground. And walking through the park, some areas were completely shrouded in fog so you couldn't see a scare actor creeping up on you in the midway. Loved that aspect and believe that adds so much to the ambience of the event.

Rivertown Rider, I wonder and daydream about the same thing! I cannot explain how much I miss the Eagles still. Every time I am at the park all these years later, I go by that spot and still envision them there and how much fun that ride was. I could only dream of them coming back.

As I have said before, The Flying Eagles were my favorite flat ride at KI. I miss the long ride cycle, snapping, early morning and late night rides with no lines, ruining a pair of tennis shoes with the slide step to slow down my particular Eagle to jump out and ride again. I grew up with the park and losing that ride was a killer for me. Especially knowing another park was going to get them and KI has plenty of room to relocate them inside the park as they did before. That last day of riding them was a memorable and sad day for a lot of people. I did have the opportunity to visit Carowinds and my old friend. It was close to a Zen moment. I sat in that seat for the first time in years and just soaked it in. I rode almost all day in between Fury rides. Took a few to get the snapping going again, but once I did it felt like coming home again. I did not want to leave. It's weird a ride can make you feel like that. But The Eagles were always there through so much of my childhood through my adult life as, in my opinion, the best flat ride KI had. The one we have now, is a pale comparison to the wild ride the Eagles gave. I so miss that ride! Time to go to Carowinds again!

Dispatchmaster, true fact. And that's why POP became so popular is the standard at most bigger amusement parks. Carrying around all those tickets is annoying...ha!

Wow! I am not opposed to Fast Lane....I have used it in the past at parks I only had a day to enjoy at. So, it's a great deal if you need it. I'm really wondering what the price point is going to be and how many they are selling on any given day. If the lowball the price, that Fast Lane line might get a bit long on busy days! Which, in turn makes the regular line crawl a bit slower. I remember a day that you used to just get in line for an attraction and wait your turn. That seems so old fashioned now. Now if I wait in the regular line, get right up to the gate to get on a ride, I have found I wait while almost the entire line of fast pass people get in right before me and sometimes filling up most all of the train. So, I wait one more or two more cycles. That's kinda frustrating after waiting, getting up to just about to ride and, oh wait, all these people get on before you. Wait some more. Like I say, not opposed to Fast Lane, just wish only a few at a time would be let in at the getting on the ride point, instead of the entire group. Saying that, I'd be a little irritated if I bought a season long fast pass or pre bought for a busy day. Really depends on single use pricing and the number they are planning on selling daily. It's a cash cow it seems.

For the life of me, I simply do not understand their move to get rid of the rides. I know the pool is a draw, but my family specifically would visit Coney and have passes just for the rides. We'd go to KI or Holiday Worls for a fun day in the water. We had passes every year, but their decision to get rid of the rides changed that. Being close to the park, it was a fun afternoon of bumper cars, a ferris wheel, a fun small coaster and everything else on the dry side with beautiful trees and the lake. I'd like to know how the decision was made to just get rid of all that.

My youngest son and I are going this year. I've been every year, but this is his first time to enjoy the event.

rlentless...I cannot agree more! I miss The Flying Eagles so much. Got to ride them at Carowinds a few years back and it was a Zen day to say the least!

This is KI's comment on society today unfortunately. it's just sad it's come to this. I remember many days when I would go to the park as a young teenager and never cause any trouble at all, was nice to everyone I met there, and knew to behave myself or I'd have to deal with my parent's or grandparents' wrath. And that was not an option. Times have indeed changed. I know there are many respectful kids and teenagers out there...I have one at home. So, it is not fair to them for the idiots who cannot act right at the park. My kid knows better than to act stupid at the park and would never do it anyway...out of respect to others and the park itself instilled in him as a kid.

Going up to visit the park many multiple of times last year, I noticed line jumping increasing a ton. Just pushing through the line or trying to sneak through. I don't use Fast Lane very often so, I wait in line like everyone else most of the time (as long as it is not too long, of course). Watching people just blow through the line trying to line jump irritates me like few things do. What make them feel so special? In the past, being 6'4" and 230, I have called people out on it, especially if it's right in front of me. But lately, I do not feel comfortable at all doing that. People seem a bit on edge or crazier these days it seems. So, I call the KI hotline and let them know. It came in handy one day last season in Mystic Timbers line when a group of about 20 were trying to line jump...security caught them doing it. I think they were already in the area, so that worked! But, I have seen too many times last season where they just get away with it. Maybe it's just a sign of the times lately? Hopefully that trend subsides again one day. Also, as a kid going to KI in the past up till now, the fact someone tried to bring a gun into the park just saddens me to the core. Why do that in a place that brings so much happiness to so many? I just do not understand that thinking.

I cannot wait to see what occupies the old Vortex spot. From the good press and reviews from my oldest son, who lives in Florida, I'd love to see something like Velocicoaster there! Or a monster ground up RMC in that spot. There is so much potential there. Whatever it is, I hope it doesn't spin...ha! Ever since my first ride on the Rotor, I realized me and spinning do not agree. Build a 500ft tall rollercoaster and I'll be first in line though!

I was lucky with a grandma that realized how important trips to KI were. So, after I moved to Texas from Cincinnati when I was a kid, I'd come up every summer to spend it with my grandparents here in Cincy. She'd get me a pass every summer and just drop me off to have fun all day and pick me up after the park closed. I was a very responsible young teenager...Ha! KI was and still is my zen place...I would dream and could not wait till summer to get back up here and visit my favorite place in the world as was my grandparent's house. It was a world away from boring west Texas. So, yep, I feel very fortunate to have had the chance to ride The Bat, Beast when it opened, King Cobra and Demon. And very fortunate to live in Northern KY to visit my favorite place as often as I want now.

The mystique of the original Bat makes me happy. As a silly kid, somehow, I managed to get a lot of rides on it. Guess I hung out by it all the time. I was just in awe of it. As an artist and graphic designer, I came up with a similar idea of an unrealistic coaster that traveled below the track one day on vacation with my grandparents on their motorhome table on our way out west. Then wow, it was a reality! Like Shaggy said before, it was just fun to watch...I was in awe. Different time and place for sure. I had seen nothing like it before...same way I thought about King Cobra when it was announced. KI had a certain mystic to it getting those rides along with The Beast. The Bat was a slower ride, but the extreme swinging made it a blast to ride even though that was its downfall. I still remember the descent on the 2nd lift hill swinging through the trees. Growing up with the park, since it's very early days, I can still envision both of those rides when I walk through the park. Geez, I don't feel that old...and don't even get me started on how much I miss my Flying Eagles...ha!

Our old Flying Eagles! I sooo miss that ride everytime I go to the park. I cringe at that basketball game everytime I walk by it knowing my favorite flat ride ever once resided there. I feel the need to go back to Carowinds or Knoebels suddenly...ha!

Got my two for my son and me. I feel so lucky to be going again! we look forward to seeing everyone!

Count me in as one really missing the rides too! Spent a ton of summer days enjoying that side of the park. If we wanted to do water stuff, then off to KI we went...but those bumper cars at Coney had some kick! We had season passes every year, but when they decided to ditch the rides, that's when stopped buying passes for the family. I'm sure we were not the only local family to not get passes after that decision...but I guess their bottom line is ok regardless. We just spend those few summer days that we used to back there days for days at KI now. KI is my second home anyway, so Coney's loss.

I'd really like to see a water coaster added. When I visit Holiday World each year, a ride on Wildebeest and Mammoth are must rides. Plus, my time in Texas at Schlitterbahn showed me how much fun a good tube ride is too. Love that park in New Braunfels!

I received the book for Christmas. All I can say is wow! Such a fantastic job by everyone involved in the making of it. I could not put it down! As a person who has gown up with the park, it sure brought back a ton of memories. The addition of concepts and blueprints are some of my favorite parts too! I'm so happy a book like this was finally published about my favorite park I love dearly and home away from home.

Speaking of old shirts. As a young teenager, I had a Beast shirt that had Bengals stripes on the sleeves. At the time I thought that was the coolest shirt I owned! lol!

Shaggy, you're post brought back a lot of memories riding that ride! I used to be scared to death riding that thing as a kid. Being held that high by chains always unnerved me!