How Old Were You When You First Visited Kings Island?

[Cormaster]

I had been bugging my parents to go to Kings Island ever since I saw The Vortex Advertisment on TV. In 1989, me being 9 years old, they finally took me. It was the first year of Water Works, so we spent most of the day there. Even as a child at age 9 I could care less about the "kiddie area" which at the time was hanna barbera land. Afterwords we hit up Hanna barbera land and I rode my first coaster ever, The Beastie. I mistook it for The Beast and I was wondering "is that it, is this the legendary coaster everyone talked about?" I then re-read the sign and found out it said Beastie not Beast. After The Beastie I told my dad I wanted to ride The Vortex. So he took me to The Vortex. Even in its 3rd year, an hour wait still meant 15 minutes, so the line went fast. As we first went up that hill I was really nervous and scared but played it off. But as soon as it went down, lol it was like the craziest thing I had ever experienced. I closed my eyes and screamed like crazy, and honestly the thing scared the hell out of me at age 9, especially only being the second coaster I ever rode in my life. After that we went to The Racer, and then The Beast. Neither of which scared me like The Vortex. While The Beast is an intense coaster, it didn't have inversions, and the inversions are what really got to me at that age.

After riding 3 of the "fearsome 4" we ate dinner somewhere near where King Cobra used to stand. MY dad asked me if I wanted to ride it and I said "no, standing up is too much I've had enough". He said "Are you sure, you rode The Beast and The Vortex, and those are both more intense than that thing!" and I said "no I've had enough". So I watched my dad ride the Cobra. at the end of the day we watched the fireworks and I told my parents that I had the best day of my life. At that point in my life, it really was the best day of my life. While the coasters scared me, one thing stuck in my head: they didn't kill me. From that point on I became a coaster addict, and from that point on I never rode The Beastie ever agian, and probably have rode The Vortex over 50 times. Some trips I've gone and hit it up 5 times! I think thats why I like The Vortex so much... sentimental reasons. It was the first intense coaster I ever rode, and honestly I think I'm going to cry the day they tear it down.

EDIT: I also remember riding some monrail thing and looking at animals on that trip. It was located where Action Zone stands now. What was that thing and what ever happend to it?

[The Interpreter]

First of all, if you could care less about the kiddie area, that means you did care some! Just razzin ya...(I let an earlier post of yours I read today with the same comment go!)

More seriously, that was Lion Country Safari or Wild Animal Habitat, depending on when it was, and there are threads galore about it. Here are some:

http://www.KICentral.com/forums/index.php?...5&hl=safari

http://www.KICentral.com/forums/index.php?...3&hl=safari

http://www.KICentral.com/forums/index.php?...2&hl=safari

[Gordon Bombay]

I was actually 2 in 1991 when I first paid a visit to Kings Island's Winterfest. Do I remember it? No, but there is an ornament on our Christmas Tree of 2 year old me and Santa Claus with the Winterfest logo around it. The first visit I really remember was in 1996, I was 7 and some folks visiting from out of town who had prevously lived in Cincinnati wanted to take me. My best memory was standing at the exit for Top Gun waiting for those who had ridden to get off the ride and looking down at the fog and special effects that were still working at the time. (I was obsessed with the movie and airplanes in general at the time.) Last night when CoastersRZ, Avatar, Cory Butcher, and I were riding Flight Deck at around 9:30 P.M. I had deja vu, it was kind of crazy.

The first thing my mom remembers me saying when I got home was: "Why didn't you ever tell me about this place?"

[Phantom Theater]

Well,my mom took my brothers an sisters when she was still pregnant.but my real first time was when I was around 1-2.I rode most of the rides,Litle bills,PT,Carousel,ETC.

[Karen]

We had just moved to Kentucky in 1971, from Southern California and I went when Kings Island was a new park. I had a great time but it was nothing like I was used to. I grew up and was pretty much raised with Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm. They were awesome.

Kings Island was nothing more than a glorified Carnevale when it first opened. It has grown a great deal over the years and gotten better.

Hanna Barbera Land was awesome They had that really nice green tunnel into and out of that section of the park. It was laid out so neat for the kids. Nick Town is ok and has some great rides for different ages.

I am happy they never got rid of the train ride and at least kept one of the log rides.

I think the biggest coaster at the time was the twin racers. Now remember this was a very long time ago but it seems to me that it was not the big coaster park it is now. It was a lot more family oriented back then.

The Bat was one of my favorite rides for the short time it was at the park. It jerked my neck so badly once that I hurt all day but still it was a fun ride. That is where Vortex is now which is my absolute favorite ride in the park.

One thing I miss - do not remember what it was called but there were two "cages" one on each side - while one was up in the air revolving the other was down on the ground filling with people. I have a terrible fear of heights and it scared me to death but I still loved it!! They took it out and put in flight commander later on and now it has that trampoline. Some of you older ones will remember this but the under 20 set will not. It has been gone a long time.

I have been going to Kings Island ALMOST every year since it opened. There are so many things that have come and gone for the new and improved but in all honestly - was it necessary? would love to see the park expand and bring back some of the older rides of the past. I am glad that some things about Coney Mall have not changed.

I know this is an old fashioned way to think but really in life, as you mature, you will discover that sometimes new and improved is not as good as the tried and true. Ponder that one.

[Guest kwindshawne]

That was zodiac..it ended up in australia at wonderland. When they closed I think it ended up in malaysia, but one of the cages got damaged when it was being disassembled, so who knows, it may be a metal heap by now.

I agree...KI was more family oriented back then, and I miss those days.

[Captain Nemo]

I first went to Kings Island back in 1997. I was 8 years old. My mother found this photo a few days ago of my first real roller coaster ride...

[Ashers]

Technically when I first visited KI was when my mom was a few weeks pregnant with me and she actually rode The Beast because she had no idea she was pregnant.....I say that instilled my love of coasters...my brothers say it made me the 'special' person I am today...lol! I know the first time I visited was when I was around 4 or 5....and I remember riding the Smurf ride. I can specifically remember my mom saying "You hold my hand and do NOT wander off." about 10 times as we were walking up to the gate. It was EXTREMELY crowded that day and I guess we didn't get on a lot of rides...but I know for sure we did the Smurfs! I know we went there shortly after that when I was in school for a field trip and we got to ride the animal safari monorail. That was so much fun! And then the first real trip I remember with my whole family was about 1995 I think....we split up so that my dad could take me on the 'big' rides and my mom took my brothers to Hanna Barbera Land. The first thing my dad did was take me straight to Vortex. I was only 10 or 11 at the time so this was a HUGE deal for me! The only other thing I had been on was the Serpent and the Screechin Eagles at Americana so this was a big leap! My dad watched my face the entire time up the hill and he said I turned absolutely green but I just kept saying that I was okay and I didnt' want to get off! I just remember as soon as we hit that first drop I was screaming my head off and the loops just took my breathe away! After that I was truly addicted. I think I ended up riding every other roller coaster in the park that day maybe with the exception of King Cobra because I don't know that I was quite tall enough for that yet. But I know I did ride it soon after that if not that first day! The only coaster I was chicken about after that was FoF when it first opened that next year....I didn't ride it the first time everyone else did but I finally got the guts near the end of the season to ride it!

I just wish my mom would have been more inclined to take photos back then when we were at KI. Now my brother and I take plenty of pics when we go but we hardly have any of the first few times we went! Although we did drag out some interesting on ride photos from about 10 years ago...next time I'm at my mom's I will post them!

~Ash

[Lisa1992]

I was just a baby so i don't remember much. I do remember this one time though. I was like 4....i think? Anyway i think they were doing a parade of some sort. This charater comes by and picks me up and i start crying and yelling I WANT MY MOMMY!!!!!!!!! LMFAO! He finally put me down haha. I will never forget that xD.

[Braves0511]

I don't remember my exact age, but I know it was a small church trip, I wasn't actually old enough to be involved in it, but my dad was a chaperone and let me tag along...I had ridden the Raven at Holiday World, the year it opened, and I hated it. Scared the crap out of me, still have the picture, you can't see me cuz my heads ducked down between my knees and my eyes are closed.

Nothing had changed when I went to KI, we rode AE and The Beastie, didn't like either of them. That whole day was spent with my dad and his friend riding rides and trying to trick me onto them, and it always ended up with me sitting in the kiddie corrals.

It was several years before I could go back, I rode The Racers and AE all day, and realized they were sort of enjoyable. The next summer I went back again, and my dad got me on The Beast...after getting off The Beast, something clicked, and I wound up dragging my dad onto Vortex. Never had a problem since, I don't even think twice about getting on anything anymore.

Long story short, I was young, and I didn't much care for it.

[nhimes90]

My first visit was for my third birthday, even though my birthday was in march. My mom and me rode The Beastie, which I thought was the scariest ride ever! I really can't remember much, but I have had a season pass every year since then, so I must of loved it.