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Has anyone heard of this place, or better yet, did anyone ever visit this place while it was still open? I happened to stumble across a web site today that had pictures and information about this park. I had never heard of it before in all my years visiting that area. Here is the link to the page I found: http://quasi-interestingparaphernaliainc.blogspot.com/2008/02/magic-world-brochure.html I'd be interested to hear anyone's experiences at this park since I found it rather interesting!

Well now, there are many routes you can take through KI that will give you different experiences depending out the route you take. When you first come through the gates you'll have a decision to make: Right or Left. My advice is to go right. Walk a little bit then hang another right. Go straight for a little bit then veer to the left. Follow that path for a while then hang another left. Keep going straight and then make another left turn. Follow this path straight until you come to a curve and then hang another right. I'd say as long as you keep following the main path and making right and left turns, you should be good to go. Since most the rides are located on main paths, you shouldn't have any trouble getting to plenty of rides. However, feel free to shake things up a bit. Turn right instead of left and vice versa. Maybe keep going straight instead of veering right or left. The choice is yours and there are endless combinations of routes through the park!

When I was young, I would not go near coasters. Well, not any of decent size anyways. I was fine enough to ride the kiddie coasters, or what could be considered kiddie coasters. There was a small coaster in kiddie land at Americana that I used to ride. Also, I was sort of a fan of The Beastie when I was younger. That was pretty much it. My trips to the park were not all that exciting. I would stick to the smaller rides and that was it. It was the year that Adventure Express opened that would be a turning point for me. I was 10 years old and I was about to make an exciting transition. I remember riding Adventure Express and loving it. Here was a slightly bigger coaster that I could ride that I was not afraid off. See, for me, it was pretty much the drops that I was afraid of. I was scared to death of that first drop and the others that might exist during the ride. After becoming very comfortable with Adventure Express, I started to get the urge to try out more coasters. I expressed this urge to my dad who then began to bribe me. One Saturday morning during breakfast, he told me that if I would get on The Racer that day, he'd buy me an Adventure Express hat. I was like, "ok." So, during our visit to the park that day, I braved The Racer and got my hat. That was just the beginning. From there I made my rounds slowly, but surely over the next couple of years going from coaster to coaster. I don't remember the exact order of things, but I think it was Beast next, then Vortex, then King Cobra and so on. Finally I had ridden all the coasters in the park and I had discovered something: I loved roller coasters! Now I'll get on pretty much anything. The bigger the better! I love the speed and now, I love the drops! Although it took me a while to get the courage to ride coasters, it was definitely worth the wait!

This article includes an "on ride" video: http://mashable.com/2015/04/23/thunderbird-roller-coaster/

I would have no problem at all if they wanted to do an overhaul on that building and install some type of dark ride and call it The Crypt. As long as the theme made sense and there was a good reason to name it that. I've always thought a dark ride in that area and in that building would be awesome. I'd love to see that building get some use rather than to just sit there for the majority of the season closed. I also feel that you really can't say that building is "in-use" if it's only used for "Haunt." Visitors who come to KI during the summer time might not come to Haunt, so to them, that space is just empty and closed. That can't give them a very good opinion of our park if they think we just have a bunch of empty, unused spaces sitting around not being used (in their minds at least). I think we need to revive that building and make it an all season attraction. Then for Haunt, we could give it an overlay, just like they used to do with Phantom Theater. I think that would work out the best and should satisfy everyone.

I've been going to KI since the early 80s and I remember quite well the painted queue lines on the ground. Once I got old enough to ride some of the coasters, I remember standing in those queue lines and having to follow the patterns painted on the ground. When I was younger, I don't think there was ever a time I rode Vortex where it wasn't out of the main queue and down by one of the games. That was just normal. I also remember the opening summer of Flight of Fear. I went one day with some good friends and we must've waited at least a good 4 hours or more. I don't think it was the actual opening weekend, but I think it was pretty early in that season. We waited over 4 hours to have the sense beat out of our heads that day. We all walked off that ride with a headache, so much so, that we didn't really do anything else. I think we grabbed some lunch and then left.

I totally agree. I went to a few of these events. What was good about these were that they ran on random days during the week. Unlike the current promotions where they run them on Sundays and usually on Mother's Day and Father's Day. The Bring a Friend Free days that I went to were usually on a Monday or Tuesday. The last one I attended was on a Monday back in the summer of 2006 and my wife and I had just started dating. She had a season pass that year and I did not. That afternoon, I got off work early and we headed out to the park. We had a great time, and if I remember correctly, crowds weren't too bad that day. At least nothing worse than a regular Saturday with no special events going on. I quite enjoyed these days. It let me take friends who didn't have a pass, and it also let me attend the one year I didn't have one. Great opportunities for people to visit the park when they otherwise wouldn't be able to.

The Roller Coaster Capitol may not approve of the name. (I am not talking about a park on the shores of Lake Erie). Oh, is that name already taken? I was just writing the first ideas that came to mind. I said you could call it something like The Phantoms' Revenge. Obviously if that name is already taken you'd call it something else. The point was to name is something that didn't sound like a rehash of an old ride, but name it something where people knew it was it's own thing while also making reference to the old. Another option might be "The Phantoms Return" or something like that. I don't even know why we're talking about this, lol, it's not like it's actually going to happen or anything!

^Yeah, I don't know. I think a name like Phantom Theater 2.0 would deceive people into thinking this a new and improved version of the same ride. By calling it something else like The Phantoms' Revenge, it's sort of open to interpretation. Yes it's based on the original, it's back story and characters come from the original, but it's a new thing all it's own. It's not just a rehash of an old ride, it's a new unique experience!

This is all very interesting news. I'm excited to think that another dark ride could be coming to Kings Island, but not sure how I feel about it being this type of ride. I just watched the POV video for Wonder Mountain's Guardian, and although it looked neat, I feel that it lacks the charm and "full immersion" of classic style dark rides like our own Phantom Theater as well as dark rides from Disney World (Pirates of the Caribbean, Splash Mountain, etc.). In my opinion, shooter dark rides, especially ones that are all 3D screens, feel kind of gimmicky. Unless there is something ultra unique in the ride design itself (Escape From Gringotts, etc.), I feel that the gimmick would get old pretty fast. Please note though that I'm not discrediting this ride just yet. There are no details at all and is pretty much just speculation whether or not KI will actually get one of these. I'll withhold my judgment until more details are known and I've actually experienced the ride myself. I'm really hoping that KI will get something truly special and not just another lame, half-butted installment. It would be awesome if they took this new ride technology and re-imagined Phantom Theater with it. I think if they had physical props/sets, merged with 3D screens with animation of the Maestro and other characters, and a unique track design/layout, we would have a dark ride that was truly special. They could call it The Phantoms' Revenge or something. Maybe after the Phantom Theater was torn down, the phantoms took up residence in The Crypt building. Maybe they were responsible for the downfall of that ride. Who knows? I feel like you could be extremely creative with that idea as well as incorporate some KI history into the ride and the back story. I know this is a long shot, but we can dream can't we?

Phantom Theater hands down! We have plenty of coasters and thrill rides, but what we don't have enough of are calm, relaxing rides for the whole family. We need something else that fits that category. Plus, I really miss that ride and would love the chance to experience it again.

You're not the only one, MaestroJr, who's got his nostalgia goggles on. Just yesterday I was sitting at work and decided to look up some articles about the Phantom Theater. Sometimes I just get the urge to look at pictures and read some info about the ride. Sometimes I'll even go to YouTube and watch the ride through videos. It's nice to keep the memories alive!

I have an awesome pair of American Eagle cargo shorts. They are amazing! They fit just snug enough to not be baggy or "droopy" looking. And, in referencing one of the above posts, I was unaware that cargo shorts were a "fashion no no." If they were such a fashion no no, then stores wouldn't sell them. I've been in several stores at the mall the past couple of summers and seen cargo shorts on the racks. Not out of date, discount racks either. Anyway, even if they were out of style who really cares? When I go to KI on a hot summer day, my main objective is to be comfortable. I'll wear whatever clothing is comfortable and suitable to whatever weather we're experiencing that day. Although I do have my limits as I would never wear something like pajama pants out in public. My clothing is comfortable and presentable and could care less if it was in style or out of style.

I still remember riding Adventure Express during its opening season. Even before that season started, my dad got a brochure in the mail with some concept art for the ride (remember, this was long before the Internet, Facebook, and marketing as we know it today) and I thought it looked like the coolest ride ever! I still remember the concept art - it showed people in the train cars, going through a tunnel, and there was lava underneath the track lighting up the tunnel. I was about 10 years old and to me that was about the neatest thing ever! The first ride on AE was amazing and I couldn't wait to get back to the park to ride it again. I ended up going with some friends from school another weekend that season and it was a rainy Saturday and the crowds were low that day. Once the rain cleared up, we basically marathoned AE the rest of the day. It was great! I'm now 34 years old and married, but AE is still one of my favorite rides at the park. In fact, my wife and I make a point to ride it at least once every time we visit the park. On some visits, we'll take my niece, who just turned 12, and she loves AE as well. We'll all ride it together - sometimes multiple times in one visit - and have a great time! I'd like to see a little love put into Adventure Express because it's a great ride and I really don't see it going anywhere soon. Hopefully it sticks around for many more years to come!

I wish I was able to take advantage of more of the flat rides, but I'm the type of person that cannot handle anything that spins. A few years ago I thought I'd be brave and attempt to ride Monster again, but that was a huge mistake. I think our seat spun the most out of all the seats. From the time the ride started, until it stopped, we did nothing but spin. It was horrible. Now, you can drop me a million feet straight down and it won't phase me at all, but spin me in a circle and I'll probably puke. Not sure what it is, I think it's genetic. My grandpa was a paratrooper in World War 2. He could jump out of airplanes, but riding a carousel made him sick. I'm very much the same way. It sucks, but I'm glad I can at least ride coasters as I prefer them to flats anyway.

Here is a tour of the abandoned Joyland, or what's left of it anyway

This is a tough one. I love KI in general, but looking back, I have fond memories of the place when I was younger. Is this fondess just nastolgia, or is it legitimate? Could be both. However, there are a few things that I think were definitely better in the past then they are now. Some of the scenery was better than it is now because some of it has been removed for current rides. Some classic rides have definitely been removed (ex. Antique Cars, Flying Eagles, Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal, etc) which kind of sucks because they were classic. In general, I do miss the prominently themed areas. I liked how it was back when I was a kid. You'd go from area to area and you knew which area you were in because of the theme and sometimes even the music that was playing. Now, everything just runs together and you're blasted with Pop music everywhere you go. Not cool. I miss the epicness of International Street and the epic intrumental music they used to play when you walked through the gates. This definitely brought a different feel then it does currently. These are things, I feel, should've been left alone. Now, we could argue some other things, but that would be mainly opinion. For example, I think I'll alway prefer the Hanna-Barbera era that we had in the "kids" area but that can be expected because I'm 34 and grew up with those cartoons. Heck, I even enjoyed the Nicktoons in that area as well. I'm just not big on the Peanuts, and I'm not sure why. This is all just opinion though. I definitely preferred some of the other rides that were removed (ex. Enchanted Voyage, Phantom Theater) and wish those rides would've been left alone because they were better in my opinion. (Is this just an opinion though? Are there really people that think Boo Blasters is a great ride? Eh, maybe someone does). And finally, I loved the old train ride. I loved the animatronic figures that you'd encounter along your adventure. The pioneer villages, the indians, etc. This was a great addition to the train ride and elevated it to another level completely. We lost a great thing when those elements were removed. There have been many great eras in the history of Kings Island. Some of the changes have been good, some of them not so good. However, things change and I guess we'll just have to deal with that. Here's hoping that we'll have many more great eras to come though!

In my opinion, The Racer isn't going anywhere unless something tramatic happens to it, or someone riding it. The Racer is a classic; a staple in the Coney Mall area of the park. I don't see KI removing it any time soon.

In my opinion, it wouldn't take too much thought to come up with a variety of ideas that would greatly improve Boo Blasters and enhance the guest experience. There have been many, many times, as we're waiting in line, my wife and I have discussed changes that we'd make if we were in charge of such things. During the 15 minute or so queue, we've come up with a variety of ways we'd improve the ride. This being said, I don't think it's a matter of "can the ride be improved" it's "do they want to improve the ride?" My guess would be no. It was a lazy install from the get-go. The ride is basically Scooby Doo and the Haunted Mansion without Scooby Doo and the gang. It was the cheapest, lamest, most generic modification that anyone could ever give a ride. Although it appears that no thought was put into the ride, I think that's misleading. I think great thought was put into the ride, but the thought was "how can we do this the cheapest way possible" and not "how can we make this ride the greatest possible?" And that right there is the problem. Would I like to see Boo Blasters improved upon? Well, if this was the year 2010 or 2011 that answer would be yes. However, it's nearing the 2015 season and we've dealt with this ride in it's condition for this long, I'd say let's just ride it out and pray for a complete overhaul within the next couple of years or so. That would be the best thing that could ever happen to that ride in my opinion. Just get rid of it completely and overhaul that space. Next time I hope they give us something worth while in the building, something to be proud of. There were so many great rides in that space and Boo Blasters is really a disgrace to the history of that building. Let's hope that it doesn't have too many seasons left!

Here's an idea we could pitch to KI. Ask a few of us to volunteer to come up with a new idea for that space. I guarantee you it will me MUCH better than the current Boo Hill nonsense. I've read ideas on this forum that surpasses anything that Boo Blasters has to offer. I hope to see an overhaul soon.

My wife and I decided to check this restaurant out when we were down there on our honeymoon back in November of 2013. We happened to get extremely lucky and got in without having prior reservations. There was one more open reservation for the day and we snagged it. It truly is an amazing place to eat, even if it's just to go in and check out the atmosphere of the place. I highly recommend checking it out at least once!

^

Well, the Toy Story films are made by Pixar, not Disney. Although Disney does technically own Pixar, those films are made by a completely different studio. So in my opinion, no, Disney could not ever make sequels as good as the Toy Story ones.

I keep hearing about Frozen 2, but there really hasn't been an official release from the studio confirming this. There has been confirmation of a Frozen animated Short film called "Frozen Fever" that's showing before the new live-action Cinderella movie that Disney is putting out this year. There have also been some very vague comments by Idina Menzel about voicing Elsa in upcoming projects, however, this was right around the announcement of the "Frozen Fever" short. Are we really getting a Frozen 2? Who knows. I'll wait until I hear some official info from the studio itself, until then, it's still just speculation. I'm with shark6495 though, give me Wreck-it Ralph 2 or Big Hero 6: 2 any day!

After fighting crowds last year on opening day, I just might sit this one out. I don't know. If I'm not doing anything that day, maybe I'll ride out in the evening and catch a few rides. It depends on how I'm feeling, I guess.