Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal Topic

[Nate]

point taken. The TR:TR building doesn't seem like a desirable structure to have at the front of the park. Just curious, you know how each ride has a rating now from 1 to 5, what was KCKC's rating? I'd guess about a 4? (Maybe 3 back then with the old ratings?)

[Gordon Bombay]

^ A big ugly building should be in the back of the park, not the front.

The back of the Paramount Theatre looks pretty ugly and its one of the first things you see, however the front is very beautiful.

I remember riding KCKC as a kid and it scaring the absolute crap out of me. That lift hill was very intimidating for a 7 year old.

[KIBeast]

I'm really sorry it got replaced by that horrid excuse for a giant top spin.

Compared to which other giant top spin?

I wasn't comparing it to another giant top spin. I guess I should have said any top spin.

[DeLorean Rider]

point taken. The TR:TR building doesn't seem like a desirable structure to have at the front of the park. Just curious, you know how each ride has a rating now from 1 to 5, what was KCKC's rating? I'd guess about a 4? (Maybe 3 back then with the old ratings?)

Well Technically they didn't have ratings back then but I believe the Log Flume is a 3.

[MarketingExpress]

^Today CF would probably rate this ride a 5.

[HomerJay]

KCKC was my absolute favorite ride in the park as a kid! I remember we'd go to KI with my mom, aunt, cousins and grandparents and (of course) my grandpa wouldn't ride many roller coasters. So I used to love the chance to ride the Keelboats with him! I was always terrifed going up so high and anticipating the huge drop at the end (trust me, as a kid, it was huge). I don't remember it being intense or getting soaked, but it was definitely a fun ride and the line went so fast!

It's sad that so many parks are getting rid of the log flumes, especially ones that were more leisurely than soaking. The only similar rides at KI now are the Wild Thornberry's and Congo Falls, but you get soaked instead of pleasantly wet. And CP took out White Water Landing a few years back, which was another fun log flume. Sigh...don't get me wrong; I love TRTR as a thrill ride, but I miss the leisurely rides like KCKC.

[Vortex]

Kings Mill log flume is still in the park just renamed Wild Thornberry's. I do miss KCKC it was a nice ride you could just sit back and relax.

[The Interpreter]

a. The Thornberry's ride also acquired an elephant that generally soaks people.

b. White Water Landing was removed near the end of last season at Cedar Point so that Maverick could be put in that space...

[derek9312]

I always loved to ride KCKC as a kid back when i was 7 or 8 and when i learned it was being taken out for TR i cried because of how fun it was. KCKC is what ended up getting me to ride Racer back then after going down the drop with my hands up. I miss the ride so much and wish it could come back. As for which one i prefer most i would much rather have KCKC.

[Nate]

^Today CF would probably rate this ride a 5.

Haha probably. Adventure Express is now a 5??

The Wild Thornberry's log flume is a 4!?!

So pretty much some silk smooth non-intense rides now have ratings of 4 probably due to the change in altitude or something lame like that.

I could bet almost anything nowadays that KCKC would be a 4 in intensity.

[CrazyKay07]

I remember this ride, but barely. I think my family rode it occasionally, but not a lot. I just remember always anticipating that huge drop...well, it seemed huge.

[PKIVortex]

I rode KCKC several several times. It was a nice ride to relax on but not really to cool off on. You never got more then just a few drops of water on you. I also the remember the water being nasty, they use to be foam that would form in the water in the station, yuck. Also the slang name of the ride was Flop LOL.

[The Interpreter]

And sometimes the water had a very nasty, mildewy smell. If you did get wet, you sometimes (not always) smelled like that for hours. I remember one time in particular it was so nasty that I didn't want to eat the rest of the day. And that was back in the days when Kings Island still had delectable food!

[WooferBearATL]

And sometimes the water had a very nasty, mildewy smell. If you did get wet, you sometimes (not always) smelled like that for hours. I remember one time in particular it was so nasty that I didn't want to eat the rest of the day. And that was back in the days when Kings Island still had delectable food!

WooferBear never has thought of Interpreter to be the Prissy Type.

[The Interpreter]

Prissy? No. Wanting to smell like a musty, old wet dog? Also, no.

[Nate]

I don't remember the water being gross, so it's MORE gross than The kings' mill one? Weren't the keelboats in a surrounding pond? Well, if that was the case at least you don't get as wet as you do on kings mill. Delectable food??..

[The Interpreter]

Nope...the canoes were in a pond where Beast is now--many, many years ago. The keel boats were just the differently themed 'logs' in the flume...a separate thing entirely. And yes, the water was much worse than anything ever in the small flume. And Kings Island did indeed have delectable food! One of my favorite memories is of the ribs and chicken cooking outside over chargrills!

[WooferBearATL]

I don't remember the water being gross, so it's MORE gross than The kings' mill one? Weren't the keelboats in a surrounding pond? Well, if that was the case at least you don't get as wet as you do on kings mill. Delectable food??..

Yup, I take pride in that the food was so good.

From the Pita Filled Taco's at Tecumseh Taco, to the Ribs and Chicken and Gormet Burgers at Columbia Palace, to the Schnitzel & Lazagne at Festhaus, to the Mexican Platters at Cafe Mexicana and even the fresh made baked goods at Bakery.

Ahhhh, food was good.

[AZ Kinda Guy]

At least we got a Starbucks.

[WooferBearATL]

At least we got a Starbucks.

LOL

Along with every strip mall and corner in America!

[tubaman]

THis reminds me a of a little number from Ice Age II

"Food, glorious food!..."

[Nate]

Haha, so are you saying that the food they have now is crap? I DEFINITLY know that everything is more than a rip-off. Funny how this has nothing to do with the Keelboats I miss so much. sob

Anyone know why exactly they took it down? Were they paid big bucks to put the Tomb Raider name out there even though the keelboats were a way better ride. If it is still legal, I sorely wish they would build it again.

Odds of happening are probably the odds of winning the lottery twice!

[The Interpreter]

The primary reasons for removing Kenton's Cove Keelboats Canal included low ridership and high maintenance costs. Note that the virtually identical White Water Landing was just removed at Cedar Point, and that that removal was done by the company that now owns Kings Island. Relatively few hydroflumes remain.

Not unlike King Cobra, KCKC was a ride whose time, in the judgment of park management, had passed. It is almost certainly never coming back. Your best bet for riding one is to go to Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois and ride Yankee Clipper or to Hersheypark and ride Coal Cracker, while you still can. By the way, Paramount Parks removed the identical Yankee Clipper from its Great America in California. I wouldn't be surprised to see any hyrdroflume removed these days.

[WooferBearATL]

The primary reasons for removing Kenton's Cove Keelboats Canal included low ridership and high maintenance costs. Note that the virtually identical White Water Landing was just removed at Cedar Point, and that that removal was done by the company that now owns Kings Island. Relatively few hydroflumes remain.

Not unlike King Cobra, KCKC was a ride whose time, in the judgment of park management, had passed. It is almost certainly never coming back. Your best bet for riding one is to go to Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois and ride Yankee Clipper or to Hersheypark and ride Coal Cracker, while you still can. By the way, Paramount Parks removed the identical Yankee Clipper from its Great America in California. I wouldn't be surprised to see any hyrdroflume removed these days.

And we have the facts about the low ridership from what source?

Was it not true that this same reason has been used for the removal of many rides and was uhhh, essentially not true. The fact is that Paramount wanted to remove the ride and put in a Top Spin. Done. Was their park they did what they wanted.

[The Interpreter]

From the park's then media relations people and from my own personal observations, among others. In its later years, on the busiest and hottest of days, KCKC seldom had a long line. At the end, most days, you could walk right on to it. Meanwhile, the smaller flume usually had a long line.

If you remember, Paramount at first was going to close and remove the original flume that came from Coney Island. It even sat dormant for a season. I think the theory may have been that there was enough ridership for one flume, but not both. Many of us decried that the smaller flume was destined for removal. As you know, that decision was reversed. Otherwise, Tomb Raider might be setting across from Wings.

Remember, too, that the southern half of the antique car site sat dormant for many seasons, with the station on that side slowly deteriorating, with flaking paint.

Regardless, say what you want. It was Cedar Fair, not Paramount Parks, that removed the Arrow Hydroflume at Cedar Point...and they did it last winter.

[WooferBearATL]

And I think that it's very short sited that parks remove rides that are more "classic."

I don't think that the Busch Parks make many mistakes but I think that removing Europa's cars and even the fact that Phython was removed at Africa were mistakes.

There are some rides that are simply "special" to a park and will always have ridership.

KCKC may not have had the lines that it once did but you have to remember that the loading and unloading was continuous. There was no stopping and starting that you experience with most rides and that is one thing that would push people through.

Granted the Antique cars may not have had long lines on a daily basis but it had a smooth operation in which people continually were loaded and unloaded.

Rides such as that, are very deceptive in the volume of ridership.

[Guest kwindshawne]

And I think that it's very short sited that parks remove rides that are more "classic."

I don't think that the Busch Parks make many mistakes but I think that removing Europa's cars and even the fact that Phython was removed at Africa were mistakes.

There are some rides that are simply "special" to a park and will always have ridership.

KCKC may not have had the lines that it once did but you have to remember that the loading and unloading was continuous. There was no stopping and starting that you experience with most rides and that is one thing that would push people through.

Granted the Antique cars may not have had long lines on a daily basis but it had a smooth operation in which people continually were loaded and unloaded.

Rides such as that, are very deceptive in the volume of ridership.

I agree....removing both were colossal mistakes

[Gordon Bombay]

The primary reasons for removing Kenton's Cove Keelboats Canal included low ridership and high maintenance costs. Note that the virtually identical White Water Landing was just removed at Cedar Point, and that that removal was done by the company that now owns Kings Island. Relatively few hydroflumes remain.

Not unlike King Cobra, KCKC was a ride whose time, in the judgment of park management, had passed. It is almost certainly never coming back. Your best bet for riding one is to go to Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois and ride Yankee Clipper or to Hersheypark and ride Coal Cracker, while you still can. By the way, Paramount Parks removed the identical Yankee Clipper from its Great America in California. I wouldn't be surprised to see any hyrdroflume removed these days.

And we have the facts about the low ridership from what source?

Was it not true that this same reason has been used for the removal of many rides and was uhhh, essentially not true. The fact is that Paramount wanted to remove the ride and put in a Top Spin. Done. Was their park they did what they wanted.

Yep, Paramount was just out to irk everyone off and ruin all of our lives. Paramount would not have removed the ride unless it was beneficial to keeping it in so obviously the ride was not reliable in some fashion whether it was pulling in riders, maintenance, etc. The ride was one of the first to close whn staffing was low and employees were needed elsewhere, if it was pulling in riders and a it was a key attraoction in its later years I dont think the operations staff would have done that if it was so amazing like everyone made it out to be. Listen to woofer kids, Paramount is out to get you all! They got him!

[Nate]

Why are so many hydroflumes being removed? Are they inferior to smaller log flumes?

If so, why?

[The Interpreter]

Why? High maintenance costs and relatively low ridership. Parks seem to think that these days most people riding a water ride want to be soaked...and apparently what parks seem to know is right.