King's Island Resort & Conference Center

[disneyjoel]

Hey all!

This topic is probably "old hat" to many of you, but since I'm a new member, it's all brand spankin' new to me!

I was wondering how many of you have stayed at the King's Island Resort & Conference Center, and what your thoughts are on the overall quality of the place. I saw some negative reviews of it at other travel websites - one woman said her room was in horrible shape, with torn curtains and cushions, and holes in her door, etc.

Just wondering what other's experiences have been. I'm staying there for my first time soon, and I'm excited about seeing PKI finally, but these not-so-hot reviews of the hotel are kinda taking the wind out of my sails.

Bob, aka "DisneyJoel"

[italianchef]

I have stayed at the Kings Island Resort and have mixed feelings about it:

1. It is the ONLY hotel that offers a shuttle to and from PKI, which is a great advantage if you plan to stay the night - especially if you are tired or drink alcohol at CDBB or Lt. Dan's Bar.

2. The rooms are okay, not that good nor bad. They are decent. You pay for the convenience of being near PKI, not the room quality.

3. The restaurant was lousy when I experienced it. They had a buffet with cold food. The meat and vegatables were cold. I complained and there was nothing they could do to increase the food temperature.

4. The bar had a GREAT deal - $1 beers when I stayed 3 years ago. My wife and I drank quite a lot since they were so cheap.

5. Their gift shop was lousy as it lacked the most important item they could possibly sell.

6. Until last year, the hotel hosted a science fiction convention, which switched hotels this year. I thought the conventions were cool.

Since The Kings Island Resort was featured on The Brady Bunch and Partridge Family KI episodes and it shares historical roots with PKI, I have a soft spot in my heart for it. However, it's really not that great, but not that bad. I give it a "C".

Anyone else care to discuss their experiences there?

Have a great day!

Italian Chef

:chef:

[m@ilman]

Yeah, back in the days when Kings Island was owned by Taft broadcasting, the resort was amazing. Disney quality and was in conjunction with Kings Island. Like Chef has said before, the resort offered (well, still does) a shuttle to and from the park. My Grandparents and my family stayed there once during christmas when my grandparents gave us season passes for the following year and we went to Winterfest. Very nice and from what I remember, very high class.

--Fast Forward to 2004---

Now Paramount owns Kings Island (duh..). The only thing that the Resort and PKI have in common anymore is in the name. I believe the resort is no longer owned by Taft, and was bought by an independant company. Everything has gone down hill with the resort, and really the good thing about it anymore has been stated in previous posts...its close to PKI and has a shuttle service. The word RESORT in the name has become a joke...the clientele is more of the motel crowd rather than the resort crowd. The food is mediocre, and everything...EVERYTHING is out of date.

I just think they dont have the funding to do anything anymore with it so they are trying as best as they can with it....but it really needs help.

Just my opinions though...any other thoughts?

m@ilman

[drewbari]

The Kings Island Inn is getting alot nicer, and it seems to me the park trying to team back up with the park again

[Mrs. G.]

5. Their gift shop was lousy as it lacked the most important item they could possibly sell.

Chef, you gotta tell us what that is. My imagination is running away with me on that one.

Seriously, I have stayed there (from '85 through '97) many times, had good times and bad times. I liked the layout, the indoor pool and the convenience to the park. But the decor never changed, and by the last time I stayed it was really looking run-down. We stayed there on our honemoon in '97, and it poured buckets all day one day, and we were stuck in the room with 4 kids and nothing to eat or drink. After that we've stuck to hotels with at least mini-fridges in the rooms. Tried a dozen or so hotels, the current favorite being Comfort Suites right around the bend.

If they fixed the place up, just fridges and microwaves maybe, I'd go back in a heartbeat. The place has a special place in my heart and a million memories.