How did you fall in love w/ PKI?

[Aaron]

I've always wondered this question when checking out the forums, but what was it that got you hooked and became a PKI enthusiast? I believe for me it was the fact that I have always visited the park at least once a year since I was a few months old.

It has always been fun and interesting watching the park change every season over the years. But more specifically, I believe The Beast is truly the reason on how I got hooked. I was always terrified of coasters, and pretty much would only ride The Beastie or the forwards Racer if I was forced. Finally one day (I was around 8 or 9 years old) my brother talked me into one ride on The Beast. I distinctly remember leaving the station balling my eyes out, wishing that I had not given into a ride. But as soon as the ride ended and we departed, I was so pumped and overjoyed and begging my dad and brother to ride it over and over. From there it's pretty much history!

That's my story, so what about you?

[Tanner]

Three Words : Flight of Fear

[Stitch]

The First Time I Went To Pki Was When I Was 7 With My Grandparents, I Rode The Smurfs Ride, And At The Time (Now Boo Boo's Luggae Claim) The Blue Octopus Ride. I Thought It Was So Cool. The Next Year I Went With My Dad And Rode Racer, I Was So Scared I Didn't Ride Again Till One Hopefull Day When I Got On The Adventure Express, I Loved It. Then I Rode Racer, Vortex, Beast, And So On And So On. The Three Things That Got Me Hooked Were, King Cobra, It Was Fast, Great Air, And Somewhat Violent (I Like A Ride That Will Kick Your Butt Every Now And Then). Son of Beast, Drop+Loop=Bliss, And Face/Off, Who Said A Good Ride Has To Be Long. The Rest Is History !

[AZ Kinda Guy]

Ok, as I type this I am typing whatever comes into my head at the current moment. So I apoligize if my thoughts aren't in order. Great topic BTW Aaron.

Like Aarons family, my family always came to the park at least once a summer. There isn't really one moment that sticks out in my mind that got me hooked. I must say, as an employee of the park, my view has changed quite a bit about the park. Amusement parks in general have kind of lost their "magic" that I once seen before I worked there. Although now that I work there, a new "magic" has been born. A feeling of being proud to be an employee of a park that strives to make each guests visit the best. I now look at certain things from the parks point of view, not an enthusiasts. I now strive to learn more and more about how the park works as a whole. Don't get me wrong, I'll take a roller coaster ride over checking bars anyday but just to see what goes into making the coaster work, what motivates the employees to work the crazy hours we work every season, what went into constructing the coaster, ETC keeps me coming back year after year and what keeps me ridding the same rides over and over again. No matter what, I've always learned something new everyday I have been at the park. Everytime I come thru those gates, I know I am in a place that only wants smiles coming from the people who are leaving those gates at the end of the night.

In closing, I will say this. I don't know what my life would be like if PKI was not here. I would not have the wonderful friends I have today or even the great girlfriend I have now. PKI is, without a doubt, a place where I can be myself, and a place where only fun is had. The fact that I assist in making the fun happen, makes me feel like a special person.

[fyrfyter]

I hadn't been to the park in years, until two years ago, when i decided that I neede something fun to do in summer. I bought a season pass, and have been hooked on the park ever since. Prior to that, I hadn't been to PKI in about 6 or 7 years, and getting all the rides, the coasters, and the sights, back into me, was a great thrill, and has been ever since.

[shadow2k3]

Prior to working there, I had been to PKI on a few occasions. Just like Aaron I was a bit scared of coasters. My first ride on The Beast was in 1992, right before it was turned over to Paramount. It was really shaky and I got knocked around a few times (i was only 8), but overall, i enjoyed myself. I think the one ride that really got me hooked was The Vortex. I was scared to death of it but once i rode it, i loved it. After 1998, visits to PKI were nonexisetent. Up until 2001. I had a g/f at the time and she wanted to go apply @ PKI. I had nothing against it so I went ahead and applied. She quit after a week (She worked in admissions, need i say more?), and i end up working for 2 seasons. LOL.

But push came to shove and I ended up wandering around the park and riding all the rides when I had the free time. To this day I have rode all the major coasters in the park. SOB front car=Sweet.

And there you go.

~Shadow~

[Inraider]

I have been going since I was a little boy, but I would not ride rollercoasters or anything else. AE scared me to death at the time ( I was petrified of those things in the last tunnel). I loved The Racer though, and would ride it until I was blue in the face. But....The main thing that got me hooked was TR:TR. I loved that thing from the day I layed eyes on it! And that is what got me hooked. Kinda-of a stupid reason but its my reason and I am proud to say thats why!

[PKI_Man]

When I was 7 years old it was my first time there i rode The Beast it was pretty scary but i got throgh it i was wanting to ride it again but in 2001. i came back to pki i went every Sunday of the post season and full season. this year i went to Six Flags Worlds of Adventure, it was pretty cool for a first time @ six flags.

[Dane]

I just simply grew up with it.

[teenageninja]

I got hooked on my first big coaster (not Beastie) which was Flight of Fear. That was what go tme loving it, I rode it the first day it was open to the public and I was hooked, from than on I would always look up stuff about roller coasters and how they worked, which my obsession circled around (basically) PKI.

[Mrs. G.]

What a great discussion! Especially agree with the "smiles on faces" comments!

Being a theme park/roller coaster nut all my life, I was pretty limited here in Chicago. Six Flags Great America sucks and always has, it's overpriced, graffitti-laden, packed with punks and the rides aren't that great. So back in the early 80's I started spreading my wings and flew to St. Louis to check out that Six Flags, and a couple other places I don't even remember. They did nothing for me. One day in '85 a co-worker gave me a Kings Island brochure, she had been in Cincinnati with her boyfriend for something and they had stopped in. So I went the next possible weekend and absolutely fell in love, and The Vortex wasn't even built yet! It was so different, so spacious, so laid-back, THE WORKERS WERE ALL POLITE, AND EVEN PLEASANT, less expensive and so much more to do, it was literally like being in another world - and THAT is what a vacation is supposed to be.

Since then I have visited at least once a year, through the years I have brought several different boyfriends, my first husband, my current husband, several friends, and now two kids of my own; it doesn't matter who you bring, everybody ends up happy. Now that my daughters are big enough to get on everything (I spent several years reluctantly stuck mainly in Hanna-Barbera Land) we spend at least two weeks and two weekends and come back for Fear Fest. There is nowhere else I can take my daughters and feel so free and so safe. I have never had an unpleasant experience of any kind at Kings Island. We love all the rides (although The Beast alone was what hooked me in the first place and will always be the best!), the food is great, and yes we even watch the shows sometimes. We love it so much we were crazy enough to make the trek in two days to take part in the Tomb Raider video shoot in November. It's that kind of thing, you are treated like an actual person and not just a wallet. NEVER got that feeling from Six Flags - and they don't have a water park either.

Just my two cents!

[DegenRider]

I went for the 1st time when I was 7 and I didnt go back till I was 12. I fell in love instantly with the park. My 1st big coaster was Flight of Fear. Then Vortex for the 1st time and then with lots of urging. my 1st Beast ride was at NIGHT! Top gun my 1st coaster I was brave enough to attempt alone. King Cobra watching my brother in pain Racer Backwards for the 1st time.

Running from security with my moron of a cousin for the 1st and only time.

I was in love.

I got a season pass in 98 went 3 times. 99 I went a few times. 2000 1 time and in 2001 I became employeed by them. I felt really good about working on the biggest coaster in the park. I loved every moment of it. Son of Beast truely broke my "fear" of coasters. From then on it was hands up eyes open and Loving every moment of it. 2001 was also my 2nd ride on pappa beast.

2002 was my 1st time I road in the front of a train. It was face/off with my sup mike. I visted the park every time i was off.....The bad part was I got yelled at EVERYTIME I DID! I was slowily loosing my love for the park. I had to quit.

I returned in aug and the love was back. I was able to enjoy the park again. I had THE BEST time in the world. I was able to catch up with all my old friends from SOB. I had a wonderful conversation with Mr. Jeff seibert who was at Monster that day. I took my new taught Snapping skills from the king himself. I tore that ride up.

When I came back in Nov I knew That this was a truely My "home" park. Putting The Beast down for the season was the best moment of the season. Thats how and why I fell in love with the park