cdubbs727

I like it. New pavers, new colors on the buildings, really classing the joint up. If they take the pedestals out of the fountain, I'll miss them, but I'm fine with them doing something new. Some things I'd love to see, some of which have been mentioned here: * Tables with umbrellas along the fountains * Some sort of show with the fountain * A new orchestral score (in recent years they've at least pulled back on the pop music) * There used to be European style kiosks around IS with announcements for new shoes and attractions. I guess in a day of digital signage, those are unnecessary, but it still leant to the feel. * I'd love see some of the IS shops/restaurants pulled back from being nostalgia stores/standard souvenir shops and sell something unique (I remember when they had a glass blower there). It won't happen, but it would be nice. * I doubt it will happen this year as we'd have heard by now, but I'd really love the International Restaurant to be re-opened. It was a great way to take a break and enjoy the view. That real estate just sits empty, a shame they're not using it. I used to love going up and looking at all the news clippings on the lobby wall (turning this into a Kings Island history-themed bar would be nice)

The building's Rivertown placement never bothers me, because I feel like it's in that transition area from Rivertown to Coney. What bothers me is seeing it on the skyline. That said, I don't know that the building bothers me as much as the old Crypt entrance, just sitting there dormant. The building could get lost in the background; the queue entrance to nowhere is distracting.

I never understood why Reds was in Rivertown; it never really fit the theme, whereas this looks like it could be more in line with it (at least the logo looks kind of country-ish). I'm from Detroit, so the Reds didn't mean much to me (aside from the plaque for Sparky Anderson) but I always liked going there, and the food was decent. I feel like it would be an ideal concept to try and port to Coney Mall, Action Zone, or International Street -- heck, maybe re-open the International Restaurant as Reds.

This is exciting! That location is always my favorite place to eat at Kings Island; it's air-conditioned, and the food is always pretty decent. I don't know that it will ever be as good as it was when it was a BBQ chicken place (I think even before it was Wings), but this sounds really promising. The menu sounds fun, and I love that there will be a place to go get some local brews (because after a few hours with the kids, I usually need a drink, lol). I love the new BBQ place in Coney Mall, and this sounds like another interesting addition. I feel like between this, the IS renovations and the re-installation of the Antiques, Kings Island is going all in on honoring the park's unique identity. I've always loved KI; I feel like we're seeing a shift to make it even more special.

Oh, I beg to differ. I'm 40, so probably too old to have an opinion on Boo Blasters (but I have one: I'm not a fan), but my 7-year-old son loves it. It's his favorite ride at the park. He rides it about five times each trip and talks about it all year (we live in Detroit, so Kings Island is a one year thing). He talks about it in the way I talked about Smurfs Enchanted Voyage when I was a kid or my brother talked about Phantom Theater. You eventually outgrow what's there and something else (sometimes inferior, in our eyes) takes its place, but those are the experiences that kids hold to and ultimately create lifelong fans. I'd say it's working pretty well.

I don't think it's unfeasible so much as it is unnecessary. Kings Island's an extremely walkable park. It's so easy to make that circuit starting with Planet Snoopy, through Rivertown, over to Coney and then ending in Action Zone, stopping off on International Street when you need to. It makes it easy to organize the day and I never feel like I'm walking too far without coming across something that I want to ride. But I could see them being helpful for those who might, say, want to head from Beast/Diamondback over to FoF or Racer without wasting too much time (although if the lines for the Skyride are long, it might be quicker just to make the walk). At Cedar Point, I'm often thankful for the Skyride because, unless I'm going to hit the Raptor or Wicked Twister, that main Midway is just a hassle. Easier to jump aboard and then when you get off you're closer to all the rides you want to hit.

If you want some unexpected Kings Island deja vu, the latest Defunctland episode is really fantastic. I didn't know about Australia's Wonderland at all, much less its history as a Taft Park. So I was surprised to see this episode open with a look at the construction of Kings Island. I was also unaware The Beast had a sister before it had a son, and that The Beastie was also present at another park (the entrance gates to The Beastie at AW is very similar from what I remember growing up). Also, The Zodiac! Defunctland always kills it, but this one is particularly special.

Smurfs Enchanted Voyage. It was the first ride I loved at Kings Island. It felt huge to a five-year-old, and almost Disney-like. I would have loved to show that to my kids. KCKC was great, too. Non-ride, there was a certain feeling to International Street that doesn't exist anymore. The shops weren't all selling novelty crap; you could get T-shirts and stuff, but I remember there also being more specialty shops, like fudge and a glass-blowing shop. The music was different -- I'm glad they've put some instrumental back on IS, but it feels too familiar. This was just a piece that felt specially orchestrated for the park (maybe it wasn't and I was just a kid). And before the digital signage came up everywhere, there were these European-style small towers that posted all the show information. It just lent a really cool feel to that main midway.

Yeah, I think that's the think. People are going to likely flood the polls for their home haunts. And really, is it fair to put HHN on the list? They have greater resources to pull off a professional, immersive haunt in a way regional parks can't. They literally have a film studio behind them. I'm glad they're low on the list because, honestly, I appreciate the do-it-yourself aesthetic of a regional haunt more than the "sure thing" that comes from a park with nearly unlimited resources and the assistance of Hollywood professionals.

Does Defunctland count? Kevin Perjurer's videos are some of the best put-together and most entertaining videos around (period, not just theme park-related), with great explanations of ride/theme park history.

Had Paramount really thrown money and creativity behind the concept, they could have really changed the park game. Rather than just slap some action movie theming on a coaster, I would have loved to see an Addams Family Dark Ride, a Star Trek simulator (that was more in line with something like BTTF than the Action Theater), a Mission: Impossible stunt show or thrill ride. I feel like they aimed too low -- but maybe the money wasn't worth throwing at seasonal parks. And all those would have likely been in big trouble once Paramount got out of the game.

On the one hand, this surprises me, because, as I've said before, Firehawk always felt like it didn't fit organically into Kings Island. . . but if it was originally going to go to KI and was designed to be build on the land owned by KC, would it have felt like a more organic fit to the park? Does it feel like an unnatural fit to its location because that location was never ideal in the first place? Interesting post.

Glad The Vortex is safe -- when we got down to KI this summer, it was the one coaster I didn't get a chance to ride, so I can get it next year. Firehawk was unique and I was glad to have ridden it, but I won't miss it. It was uncomfortable and, honestly, it was the one ride I never felt safe on. I always felt like I was going to fall out (I know I wasn't going to...it just felt that way). I also think it never truly felt like a part of KI, probably because it got its start elsewhere. It seemed just tossed into X-Base, and never had the character I feel from most other KI coasters (Invertigo feels the same way for me). The best Kings Island coasters feel organic to the park. This felt like an unnatural fit. Excited to see what comes next.

The original Vortex logo is so cool, but I kind of resent the fact that it made me think Vortex meant "giant robot" for so much of my life.

I feel like Vortex is a vital piece of Kings Island's identity. It's got a history stretching over 30 years, it's a major part of the park's skyline, it was a record-breaker, and it provides great visuals. After The Beast, it was probably the biggest deal in the park for many years. Not to say it won't ever be removed -- or that it won't be removed sooner rather than later -- but I feel like if it was a last year for The Vortex, KI would have given it a season-long send off, not one month when pretty much only locals are attending the park (at least that's the perspective of someone who lives four hours outside the park). True, there was similar notice when Cedar Point got rid of the Mean Streak -- but honestly, there was very little time where MS was seen as anything other than a headache-inducer. Few were sad to see it go (and it sorta never did). Firehawk has always felt like a minor addition to the park. It's tucked away in a low-traffic area. It came from another park and, honestly, doesn't seem to fit the character of other KI rides (similar to Invertigo). It seems to have countless maintenance problems, and IMO it's not a great ride (though, of course, my opinion has no bearing on this aside from my wishful thinking). It's too short, the harnesses are uncomfortable and I always feel like I'm going to fall out. Not saying it won't be Vortex (although I would prefer it to be Invertigo or The Bat), but I feel like Firehawk is the better candidate.

Thanks. That makes sense about the 2-Day/All-Day.

Took our annual family trip from Detroit to KI this past week with my wife and kids (ages 6 and 2, respectively). It was a bittersweet trip this year. Kings Island was a family childhood tradition for me, dating back nearly 40 years with my grandparents and aunts. My grandmother and one of my aunts who used to make this trip with us both passed away this summer, so there was a sense that this trip was in their memory. We'd initially planned on going to the park Wednesday and Thursday, but rain in the forecast caused us to split the days between Wednesday and Friday. Wednesday was a great day. Light lines, nice weather, only a short rainstorm halfway through the day. My kids love Planet Snoopy. Our "home" park would technically be Cedar Point, but I've never cared much for its kids offerings. My son is hesitant to try most of anything that's too intense, but he loves Boo Blasters, the bumper cars, the flight of the Red Baron and the Kite Eating Tree. He also tried the Scrambler this year. Next hear, hopefully we can move him up to Woodstock Express (which will always be The Beastie to me). I was surprised how much my daughter could do. She's just under 36 inches but there was a lot she could ride with adults. She loved (to my chagrin) the Whirlybirds, which I think we did three times and which had the longest lines we encountered all week (and even that was 20 minutes). The kids loved it, which warmed my heart. I want to thank Cedar Fair for instituting parent-swap, which means my wife and I could take turns on roller coasters while the other parent sat out with the kids. On Wednesday, it saved us some moderate waits on Mystic Timbers. Pretty much everything else was a walk-on. The Best is still the best, but Diamondback and Banshee are quickly becoming favorites as well. Mystic Timbers is already a classic. A lot of people like to focus on the anticlimactic shed, but that's a shame. The ride itself is fantastic; wild and fast, it's a good stepping stone for kids before they're ready for The Beast. Friday looked like it was going to be a wash-out. We were gassing up before heading to the park and it was like a monsoon came down. Rain was going sideways, there was thunder and lightning. But it cleared up just after park opening. The forecast seemed to show that we'd get a few hours of sunshine before the rain came in again. But, in reality, the rain never returned and the sun even made an appearance. The crowds stayed away, so everything was a walk-on. We'd ridden everything by mid-afternoon. The park is still gorgeous, one of the most relaxing and beautifully designed parks I've been to (Cedar Point's layout is too busy and hectic). With a deal through our insurance, 2-day admission, parking and All-Day eating for two days didn't cost too much. The food at KI is miles ahead of CP's; I particularly liked the new Coney Bar-B-Que, and I'll always love La Rosa's. I even had my first Skyline coney in about a decade; it was great (although the heartburn that came with it...not so great). The kids loved the Peanuts Block Party, and I thought Gravity was a fantastic addition to the park lineup. If there was one complaint, it's with staffing. Many of the workers on the rides (particularly in Planet Snoopy) seemed bored and disinterested. Maybe that's an end-of-season thing, but still. The food service pretty much everywhere was really rough. Many workers seemed baffled by our 2-Day pass for All-Day Dining, and the supervisor at Red's didn't seem to have a handle on their menu or cash register system. That seems very odd at the end of the season. Their confusion over the dining passes was really odd...that's a huge selling point, I'm sure, but few people seemed to know how to activate it or what it was. You'd think after an entire summer, they'd have a handle on it. The front gate workers (elderly women for the most part) were also odd, with one openly wondering why we chose to come to the park on Friday since "it's gonna rain all day and everything's going to be closed" and another ordering my 2-year-old daughter around brusquely when she got her return stamp. That said, there was a worker on the Whirlybirds who was engaged and fun, and I have to say that the staff at the "Big Ticket" attractions (Beast, Diamondback, Banshee) always seem like they're having a great time. KI is a beautiful park with good entertainment, great rides, and good food. If they can, perhaps, Disney-fie their customer service, it will complete the experience.

I'm a big-time movie nerd, so I loved the Paramount era (I was also in my teens for much of it and was easily impressed by thrills and flash). Some things were really cool: I liked Tomb Raider when it was fully themed. There was a cool laser show they did in the Kings Island Theater themed to Paramount movies. There was actually a purpose to the garden area off the Eiffel Tower instead of just being a sad smoking area. I feel like CF has been kind of a best-of-times/worst-of-times thing (I'm from Detroit, so I only get to go once a year). I think there's been a lot of TLC given to bring more coasters and thrill rides to the park; Diamondback, Banshee and Mystic Timbers are all world-class coasters. But I feel like customer service has taken a dive and the food offerings don't feel as special. But that might also just be 40-year-old me being more particular than 20-year-old me.

I understand the comparison ... both are rather anti-climactic. I like the animatronics in AE. I find the build-up to the screens in MT fun, but the overall effect is kind of silly, plus the timing has often been slightly off when I've gone on. But MT is still a fantastic ride.

When AE came out in 1991, I was 12 years old and just starting to warm up to roller coasters, so it was perfect. Loved the theming (the only other 'themed' coaster I'd been on at that time was Disaster Transport, which still had most its effects working), loved that it wasn't too scary. As a teen and twenty-something, I started skipping it because it wasn't thrilling enough. As an adult, I appreciate it as a fun, fast little ride, and it's a perfect way to introduce my nephews/nieces and eventually my kids (who are still scared to ride Woodstock Express) to coasters.

This is a great read! I'm glad you brought up the derailment, simply because it's something that I remember hearing about from several sources as a child but always as an urban legend. I live in Detroit, and I've found it humorous how the legend grows. When I was a kid, I heard from several people that the King Cobra had derailed in the 1980s and killed 8 people; I remember as a kid, we even thought the small cemetery out front of Kings Island was for the King Cobra victims (nevermind that that makes no sense at all). When I got older, I figured the deaths were an urban legend but always wondered where the derailment came from -- I'd heard it from too many people to think it was just a story, but I never was able to find out what happened. So your post answered a lifelong mystery for me! Thanks!

The random empty chair there is kind of creepy.

Nothing more miserable than being at an amusement park in the cold and rain. As someone who's spent a day in 45-degree temps and steady showers at Cedar Point, I can attest they made the right choice.

This was one I remember from my childhood -- and realizing it was the opening year for Vortex, 30 years ago, it makes me feel really old.

Given that The Vortex has been sinking for about 30 years and is, of course, the next ride to be removed, I think this was a nice gesture.