Thoughts on KI After a 5-year Absence

[RD Reynolds]

This is a long post, but one I feel pretty passionately about. I hope you can make it through the whole thing. I will be modifying it as a letter to Cedar Fair sometime later tonight.

Without further adieu...

I’ve been a huge fan of Kings Island basically my entire life. I fondly recall going there as a child (I’m now 39); I remember truly old-school attractions such as the Rotor (I’d love to see that back), the Sausage Haus (I’d love to NEVER see that back), Enchanted Voyage, King Cobra, Gulliver’s Rub-a-Dub, and countless others. In my youth, my family went at least once a year, and even as I got older and moved to Indianapolis, I still tried to go at least every other year. Recent changes in my life (got married, had a child), kinda trumped visits, so it had been about five years since I was last there. As my boy just turned three, I thought, “it’s time to introduce him to Kings Island…and start my own family tradition, just had my parents had done thirty years ago with me and my brother.” I was excited for weeks. I couldn’t wait to get back.

When I did, wow…this was not the Kings Island I remembered.

Not the one from my youth; not even the one from five years ago.

It would be easy to take that statement as a negative one, and in ways, perhaps many ways, it is. So I should probably preface my statements by saying that we had a good time, and will no doubt go back many times as my son gets older. It’s just that Kings Island no longer feels like a park for a family. It’s a park for very young children and thrill seekers.

But not families.

I remember going to Cedar Point about ten years ago, and thinking, “So there’s one small section for real little kids, but the rest of the park is all thrill rides, primarily roller coasters. Cool!” I liked it because it was different. It was on an entirely opposite end of the spectrum from a park like Disney World, which was focused entirely on families. Kings Island, to me, had the best of both worlds.

After visiting yesterday, that’s no longer the case. Kings Island is becoming a clone of Cedar Point. Which makes sense, I suppose, because they are both owned by the same company. Still, it makes me long for the days when there were plenty of thrill rides, plenty of rides for little kids, and plenty of rides for families. While we still have the first two, the latter option is very lacking.

I hate to say, “We need this ride back or that ride back”, because that’s unrealistic. The world has evolved, and Kings Island has too. It must if it wants to survive. I guess I just miss rides that I would ride with my Mom and Dad, like the Keelboat Canal. Yes, I am aware that the small log flume still exists, as does Congo Falls. But the former is now riddled with kiddy characters while the latter is simply a loop with a hill. Something is missing with the exclusion of a bigger, more interesting flume.

I also miss the old tyme cars, because the whole family could fit in there and laugh at the silliness of the day. You weren’t rushing through anything…you were just riding around together. It was especially cool at night, when you could see lights all over the park and there was a sense of wonder of it all.

That sense of wonder, or more accurately, theater, has all but vanished from the park, and that may be the thing that hurts more than this ride or that ride or the over-emphasis of coasters. Maybe I’m just spoiled by a few trips to Disney, but Kings Island no longer feels like a theme park. It feels like a collection of rides. With the exception of Nickelodeon Universe, there’s no sense of being in different locations in the park. Rivertown was once its own little world…it made you feel like you were in a place different from the rest of the park. Ditto Oktoberfest. The rides were themed to fit the area in which they were located, as were the buildings, restaurants, games, etc.. Heck, even the paths between the different areas were interesting – remember the vine tunnel between the kiddy land and River town? It made everything feel different and unique.

Like you’d go to Rivertown, and you were in a old fashioned river town. Everything fit the theme of whatever land you were in. You had a log flume in Rivertown, you had an old time train. Off in the distance were the old tyme cars. So everything kinda fit. Now the train is nothing more than transportation to the water park with bad country music, and the shooting range has been replace by a basketball shooting game with NBA jerseys. And while I have no doubt Diamondback will be incredible, a giant steel coaster in the middle of Rivertown looks so completely out of place that it seems like coaster after coaster is just being shoehorned into the park anywhere they fit.

It doesn’t help that all the restaurants are now restaurants that I see when I go to the mall. Hey, I love Chick-Fil-A as much as the next guy (I’ve even been to the original Dwarf House and waited all night in a parking lot to get free CFA for a year), but when I see that or Subway in the middle of Coney Island, well, the experience loses a lot of its luster. (Which is exacerbated by the food being three times the cost it is in the “real world.”)

Even the music is just completely random, standard rock music that I hear driving to work. It’s not different. It’s exactly the same, and in some locations, it’s just completely out of place. Is it really that hard to have different music for the different locations? I should also add that while I’m no prude, the music videos being played in FestHaus (with some very scantily clad women) just seemed wildly inappropriate for a family park like Kings Island.

Now there were things I really enjoyed. My son had a great time in Nickelodeon Universe, especially Scooby Doo’s Castle and Dora’s trains. But at the end of the day, I couldn’t help but be humored by the fact that his two favorite rides, by far, were the Monster and the Fairly Odd Coaster…formerly the Scooby Doo / Beasty. Two rides that had been there since day one.

I guess for now I’ll just wait for him to be old enough to enjoy all the coasters…and hope my old bones can handle going on them with him when he’s old enough!

As I’ve said, Kings Island has to change, it has to evolve. I understand that. I just wish they could recapture some of the magic that made Kings Island the Kings Island of my youth…I’d love to be able to share that sense of wonder with my son, and for him to pass it along to his children as well.

I look forward to what anyone else may have to say.

Thanks!

RD

[RailRider]

I cant agree with your last line any more than Kings Island does have to recapture that magic. Agreed very much so. I find that the park did an excelent job of trying to do so this year. As a mater of fact I think thats where this park is headed under Cedar Fair.

Now I do have some things in your post I strongly disagree with, but I wont get in to that. I must ask was it only 5 years ago that you were in the park last before your most recent visit? Paramount/Viacom bought the park in 92 and we saw the changes start in the 93 seasson. The reasson I bring this up is because over the next few years Paramount began corporate tie ins here and there and by the late 90's and early 00's the park was a ghast image of its former self and atmosphere. Thats why I ask if it were only 2002/2003 as your last visit than I believe you would have seen a vast improvement in the park and the atmosphere.

So yes the park has drastically changed over the years and is it for the better or worse, thats your opinion. I personally feel that KI made a huge comeback this year and was almost a throwback to its former days. I look for the future to lead the park to be family oriented as it is, but also with some amazing rides for thrill seekers. Diamondback and Firehawk are geared for that. Lastly I see the old days of HB coming back and I can only hope and pray that some day a giant wheel is added to Coney Mall and that the Festhaus returns to its former glory. Fingers are crossed but I have faith.

[RD Reynolds]

According to the Timeline, Spongebob 3D and Scooby Doo's Castle opened in 2003. I remember those the last time I was there, so it's definitely been five years or less.

I remember the PKI years, it seemed that it was very different, but there was at least some type of theme to everything. Now it seems that KI is looking for its identity. I really hope you are right, and that we get a more family-friendly approach. I'd love to feel that KI magic again.

RD

[RailRider]

The Paramount days can be identified as somewhat themed attraction and then the theme was not kept up. Also Paramount is key in the loss of environment in some areas of the park. TR:TR (Crypt) going in Rivertown? Tiques and Eagles making way for IJ:ST (BLSC), Adventure Village is no more and becomes Concrete Zone errr Action Zone, and the park usually offered only 1 to 2 shows a seasson. Im not saying Paramount was all bad, but they contributed a lot to what you feel now as the park loosing some of its magic. I just feel that CF doesn't want KI to be CP South, after all it didn't work for GL. They know they have a family park that needs a nice combination of Thrill and Family rides. I would look for 2010 and 2011 to be the years of family attractions at the park. With next year mainly devoted to DB, maybee and new eatery, and show as well.

[pkimike]

As was stated above it was Paramount that made these changes. If fact so far CF has only added one ride and taken nothing out. The park that you see is from the Paramount days except for the fact that it is now cleaner, has more landscaping, and has more shows. Think how you would have felt 2 and a half years ago.

[WooferBearATL]

And don't forget, it now has a "Western Themed Area" that it never had under any of the previous owners!

[MarketingExpress]

According to the Timeline, Spongebob 3D and Scooby Doo's Castle opened in 2003. I remember those the last time I was there, so it's definitely been five years or less.

Delirium also opened in 2003.

[faeriewench]

^and Delirium kicked King Cobra out xD

[firehawkboy]

^I wish they could have put Delirium somewhere else because I wasn't a "coaster nerd" until about 4 yrs ago. And I never went to (P)KI consistantly, until 2005 season. But now I regret not riding King Cobra when I had the chance in 1998 and 2001.

I guess I can just go to King Cobra's cousin in King's Dominion.

[RailRider]

Even if Delirium would have been placed somewhere else, Cobra would not be at KI anymore, it had a bad cause of metal rot and was becoming a maintence nightmare.

[firehawkboy]

^Ah, ok. I see now. I was not aware of that. Well now I see why they took it out.

[tigellinus]

^^As Terpy claimed, blame Japan using cheap steel!!

Apparently, the later Togo stand-up's like the one's at KD and CW used better steel, and thus, part of the reason they're still standing!! (pun intended! )

It's a shame too since I like the Togo stand-up's better than the B&M's...way less forceful and more enjoyable IMHO (which is VERY humble and VERY much in the minority!)

[RailRider]

Thats the first I have ever heard someone say they like a coaster that is less forcefull. I understand where you are coming from though. The B&M Standup is very forceful, especially through the dive loops on something like Mantis. Still a great ride.

[tigellinus]

^^I've heard Mantis is a lot better in the last row, which surprisingly I've never tried before and will soon.

But for B&M stand-up's for me, it's just too much g's on my legs...

[Mikewhy]

Wow...

RD Reynolds, thank you for that post. It reflects my own thoughts completely. I too, have been going to Kings Island since it opened in 1972. I have photos of myself as a 5 year old at the park the year it opened, and we went yearly through the late 80's...

Then I got busy with my life and did not go again until 2003. I have gone several times a year since, but I agree with you completely. Things have changed and while the park is excellent in many ways, the old time charm and magic are gone. The lack of any properly themed or atmospheric music on International Street I think is what hurts the most...

While some folks here think more "family" attractions are coming to KI from Cedar Fair, I have little such hope. If you look at what they have added to their parks over the last 10 years, you see little evidence that they will add such attractions. They do add kid areas for small children, and great coasters, but you never see anything like a serious flat ride package (for the most part), dark rides or log flumes. Cedar Fair just does not deal with such attractions, or does so very seldomly.

I love Kings Island and I am thrilled about Diamondback. But I definitely agree that I would like to see some of the family focus and magic to return. Sadly, there seems to be little ROI in such things for Cedar Fair...

[RD Reynolds]

Wow...

RD Reynolds, thank you for that post. It reflects my own thoughts completely. I too, have been going to Kings Island since it opened in 1972. I have photos of myself as a 5 year old at the park the year it opened, and we went yearly through the late 80's...

Then I got busy with my life and did not go again until 2003. I have gone several times a year since, but I agree with you completely. Things have changed and while the park is excellent in many ways, the old time charm and magic are gone. The lack of any properly themed or atmospheric music on International Street I think is what hurts the most...

While some folks here think more "family" attractions are coming to KI from Cedar Fair, I have little such hope. If you look at what they have added to their parks over the last 10 years, you see little evidence that they will add such attractions. They do add kid areas for small children, and great coasters, but you never see anything like a serious flat ride package (for the most part), dark rides or log flumes. Cedar Fair just does not deal with such attractions, or does so very seldomly.

I love Kings Island and I am thrilled about Diamondback. But I definitely agree that I would like to see some of the family focus and magic to return. Sadly, there seems to be little ROI in such things for Cedar Fair...

You're very welcome. I think you hit the nail on the head with the comments about zero dark rides or flumes. Those are what I miss most, and that's why I think that Disney will always be miles and miles ahead of KI to me, at least until my son hits his teens (and presumably becomes a coaster addict like his old man). Too bad, because I think in the old days KI had a perfect mix of family fun and top notch thrills.

RD

[ScootZilla]

Well i do give CF some credit now.The have cleaned the park up .They have also turned The Racer around so it back like the ol days.They have also added Firehawk to x-base fits in really good there.I do hate the themes now as they dont really fit.The only theme i think fits is Action Zone and maybe x-base it they add to it in the years.I also hope someday Top Gun/FD will get a paint job and bring the fx/fog back pls it would make it 10 times better.

I really think the worst thin PKI did was take the cars and the eagles out in the same year wow.Also CF has been tryin they have gave us better food i think from years past.

[StalkerChick]

i want a giant wheel too!!!! like ginormous!! lol i think it would do great. but yeah. nice flat coaster...just one. and i'm a huge coaster nut but i LOVED the cars. It gave you something relaxing to do when you just had to take a break, but sitting on a bench just wasn't any fun. You can only ride the carousel so many times And if that ever goes, I'm going to have a sit in

[windshawne]

I'd like to see a Friday's maybe at the park-some kind of nice sit down restaurant where you didn't have to leave to get good food.

When I returned from california, I was really upset to see the cars gone as well. What were they thinking????

I was thinking about this and I was gone from the park a total of 20 years-1985 to my return in 2005. Came home to a totally different park. I am still disoriented.

[violakat03]

I think Paramount really killed a lot of what Kings Island really was and CF is in for a long road to bring it back to it's glory. The overabundance of commercialism (every single new ride except SOB being themed after a movie) and the focus only on 'bigger and better' took out the family aspect. I personally think Cedar Point is a great family park for rides - they've got a good amount of little kiddie rides (more than Kings Island) and lots more flat rides. I definitely enjoyed CP's flat rides more - from the high thrills like Chaos and Witch's Wheel (PKI took out Skylab the year after I rode it the first time) to the family oriented things like the Antique cars/turnpike cars/Cadillac Cars (yes, they have THREE car rides at CP), and the spinning rides like Matterhorn, Calypso and Super Himalaya.

I'd like to see a wider variety at King's Island, because now that I've visited Cedar Point several times, I find KI lacking in flat ride variety. I still think it's a great park with great coasters (and there is no coaster in existence that even compares to The Beast, IMO) but there's only a small handful of flatrides that adults can really ride and enjoy - Monster, Shake Rattle n Roll, Scrambler and a few others. They could benefit from a lot more flat rides that are family friendly.

I do think they're an excellent park for 'growing up' to coasters. I started out on The Beastie when I was 10, being absolutely terrified of the idea of coasters but loving it once I got up the nerve. At 11, I rode the forwards Racer and Adventure Express. The summer I turned 12, I started out on Flight of Fear and never looked back.

CF has also brought back shows - I don't even remember them having shows (though I know they did have one or two) when Paramount owned it. Now I can actually name off a few of the shows, and they have live entertainment on the International Street stage again, which has been done in a while. The park overall is cleaner, security is more visible, and the staff seems much friendlier. I think they're taking giant steps towards bringing Kings Island back to it's former glory. Though we'll probably never see a return of the monorail or zoo area, I think they'll do some good things if we give them time. My biggest hope for next year is that they return some of the theming that's been left to rot - the old western town on the train route is barely even there anymore because it hasn't been touched by maintenance in so long. A return of the fog and strobes to Flight Deck would make that ride exciting again. And could someone PLEASE dust in the queue area of Flight of Fear?!