PKI History

[DragonLord]

Now one died on Sky Lab, the lady fell out of Flight Commander. Euro Bungy is where Flight Commander was at.

I was too young to remember most of the park, but I do remember the Smurfs and seeing all the characters. I also remember the Star Trek people. I LOVE ST and I really wanted to work in the park as an ST character, like a Klingon or just a normal human character. I really miss them!

I also remember the safari but the air conditioned monorail was more fasinating. I always wanted to know how it worked.

[DanielRadsgrl]

When i was like 6 I went to Kings Isalnd and I have my picture taken with a Kligon. I was scared.

[Crispy1979]

Yes, in Gulliver's you just rode past scenes. It was intended to be KI's version of Disneyland's Storybookland Canal Boats. It was removed in the early 80's, but I have no memory of the actual ride. I do remember Shunshie Turnpike, as it was only removed to make way for Nickelodeon. Sunshine Turnpike, in fact, was one of the original rides the park opened with and had the same car types as Disneyland's Autopia. (Arrow made a lot of the rides for the park at their opening).

The train ride used to be a lot more highly themed than it is now with animated animal figures and a recorded narration. At one time, cowboys used to ride by on horse back and "rob" the train. (They would hold out their hats and collect money)

And you're right, there were a lot of rides that have come and gone in the Oktoberfest area... , Spinning Keggers, Bobsled, Rotor, Flying Dutchman, Ferris Wheel, skyway, Bavarian Beetle.....and the Coney Mall area as well.

Here's a nother thing I forgot about. Following the Disney tradition, King's Island employees used to wear "costumes" designed to fit in with the appropiate areas and rides. For example, In Oktoberfest, the me used to wear leiderhosen looking outfits aith suspenders and the women wore german looking long skirts. In fact, we used to refer to the men who staffed the Flying Dutchman as "the gingerbread men" In KI's later years (90, 91), the costumes became less elaborate. I think in Oktoberfest the staff just wore khaki's and a button up shirt with a folksy looking pattern embroidered vertically up the sides. When Paramount bought the parks, the costuming disappeared. I seem to remember when I was a little, the female workers (especially in the shops) wearing long skirts.

And I believe you are right... the shop in Hanna-Barbara land must be the former Skyride station. It certainly has the appropiate rectangluar shape.

There is a yahoo group that has a photo album of old Kings Island photos... including Gulliver, the Enchanted Voyage, and the Sky ride. It takes a while to seach through the phot albums, but I'll post the link on here later when I find it.

Cris

[WildCat]

I run that yahoo group you are talking about here is the link

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/historyofkingsisland/

I people have been adding old pictures for some time. I have removed some pictures because I ran out of space with yahoo. I still have the pictures backed up on my computer. I have pictues of all of the coasters that have been in Kings Island over the years. The only picture that is not in the group is the Bavarian Beetle but I still have it on my computer.

I will be happy to talk to anyone on this board. I started going to Kings Island in 1976.

[bingog34]

My friend's dad used to perform in the marionette show. It was in the Bubble Theater, where Paramount Story is now.

[WildCat]

I just found out when Kings Island remodeled Coney Island to Coney Mall in 1985. The park gave back some things to Coney Island park. Like the trees in Coney Mall and some other non rides things.

[pki2005]

Opps sorry i got skylab and the flight command mixed up. Didnt the lady that died on flight command wasnt she drunk?

[Dane]

Yes, she was intoxicated at the time.

[WildCat]

Does anyone know what year the figures on the Train ride at Kings Island was taken out of the park? Also why not ad some themeing along the tracks. I know CP has themeing not much but some and so do other smaller parks. The buildings looked like they where going to fall down this year. At least they cut the grass unlike other years by the fort.

[Crispy1979]

It was a gradual process. The first thing that was removed was the narraration. Then the animal figures, and then most of the people figures were gone by the time Water Works opened. There used to be Indian figured that fired guns as the train apssed. I remeber riding past the figures once and a door on the back on of the Indians was hanging open and there were wires hanging out. lol

My father and I used to always make fun of the beaver animatronic. There was a beaver figure that cut down a tree and the tree would fall.... but the tree was standing right next to a pole and there was an obvious cable that ran from the tree to the pole. After the tree would fall, the cable would hoist it back up again.

Cris

[WildCat]

Thank you Cris. Now I can tell my grandma that just rode the train for the first time in 20 years why all the themeing is gone. Its to back that the train is the one of two rides she can ride anymore in the park. She also loves to look at the flowers and bush in the park. Like she did at Coney Island.

[HomerJay]

Does anyone remember that they used to have a pool outside of Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canals? I don't know if you could pay to go swimming in it or not, but it always seemed there were about five people splashing around in it. It was odd. . . an above ground pool if I remember, I think advertising for a company that sold them. I always wanted to go in it, lol

Also, for those of you who remembered the smurfs ride, I used to LOVE that ride! I remember you'd float in and there was this green tunnel with flashing lights and then you'd see a huge Gargamel laughing at you. Then it would take you through all the seasons. I always thought that Halloween was the scariest, because the lightning was flashing and Gargamel was soooo close. Then at the end you'd go through Christmas, go up a small hill and under a curtain, and the ride was done. It was actually pretty elaborate, if I remember correctly. I loved the Smurfs, but I was always terrified of the ride getting stuck in there. Did that ever happen to anyone here?

[bowfin]

HI

I'm so happy to have found this site. I was born in 69 and went to KI every year until Paramount bought it. Since then I've only been back a few times and the last time wasn't all that fantastic (Can't remember what year it was sorry) the park was actually dirty.

It sounds like things have changed very much and I need to make the drive and see it for myself.

I certainly remember the wonderful costumes that were worn by the staff and I'm sad that they are gone.

Does anyone remember the Materhorn? I can't even say what part of the park it was in but it was an alpine type ride which did nothing more but go around a circle track, much like the typical modern fair rides. I liked the scenery. The staff all had Alpine style costumes. Hopefully I have pictures of it buried in boxes of photos at my Grandmother's house in Wilmington OH.

What was the name of the ride that spun around in a circle and the floor dropped out? That was the only ride I was ever scared of.

I'll never forget the year the Enchanted Voyage was changed into the Smurf ride. That was a total dissapointment. I have some fabulous photos of that ride. It was so colorful, I'll never forget it. The theme song still runs through my head now and then.

I didn't know that the lake was gone from The Beast area. It was so dirty most of the time but it did offer some entertainment (watching for frogs and snakes).

LOL One thing you youngsters might get a kick out of is something my mom, cousin and I did while in line for The Beast. You know those plastic large cups that drinks come in? Well.... back then they were a novelty, not something you get each time you go through a drive thru. We used to pick them out of the trash cans and take them home and wash them and use them. I sure wish I had saved one from each year!

I remember how the sky ride would quit and riders would be stranded up there for hours (I was a kid so it may have only seemed like hours to me). One time I was on The Beast and at the top of the first hill the saftey bar didn't latch so we sat there for ten to 15 minutes waiting for them to fix the electrical glitch. We sure did get a good look at the park that day.

Well... I'm off to look at the pictures of the Kings Island Yahoo group now.

Doreen

[bowfin]

I think I've misnamed the Alpine Ride, I'm guessing it was called Bayern Kurve, because of a picture I just saw on the Yahoo group.

Was there a ride named Matterhorn? Or Materhorn? Not sure on the correct spelling, sorry.

[IcarusLives]

The Bobsled ride (matterhorn, or Bayern Kurve) was technically in Oktoberfest. It was a ride with a train in a circle. The cars were individual bobsleds from different countries. The train just traveled in a circle but half of circle was elevated and banked. So when you went up the curve you kind of looked down in to the pit that was in the center. There was a tower in the center of the pit to "watch" the sleds. I think they used to have a mannequin in a parka up in the tower (but that could have been CP). There was a backdrop of a snow covered European villiage. It was kind of a fun ride. It was taken out when construction of King Cobra started.

As for Enchanted voyage, we always called that the TV ride since the outside looked like a giant TV. We always said hi to the snail as we entered and exited. The scary part was the worst. I rember they had scooby in a barrel with sign saying Go Back! Always freaked me out. The best part was going up the small hill (same one on the Smurf's ride) at the end. It looked like you were going into a giant clown's mouth and the gate that closed down looked like teeth. It was fun.

[Losing Streak]

I remember one time when I rode KCKC, the ops were dressed up pilgrim-like. It was cool, but kind of scary.

[DegenRider]

The costumes may of been nice but they are a pain if you send someone to another ride or stand. Park had a few rough years after the paramount takeover. This year is a year of many changes and alot of charm being brought back to the park. If you haven't been in a while I urge you to return. Park wil look vastly different but in its own way its a great place.

Why alot of the flats have died has been debated over at the History of Kings Island Yahoo group and it seems that management didn't care for some rides in the 80's and they were left to destory themselfs. Most people place the blame on the parks owner at the time Mr. Linder.

If you missed phantom theater I feel for ya that was a great ride. I do like Scoobys Haunted castle better though.

[flatbed]

Wow, the memories of Enchanted Voyage are coming back to me now. I remember the arched bridge in the que area and the giant snail. I can actually remember being scared of the hill, mostly the drop(probably about 3 feet). I can't remember what kind of characters there were before the smurfs, and what the actual theme was.

I also remember the pond in The Beast line area. I remember it being filled with some sort of fish. I remember spitting into it and the fish going crazy going after it.

If I remember correctly, and if I'm not getting it confused with another park, I think on the train ride that cowboys and indians fought from differnet side of the track. I think I recall an old cowboy with an arrow stuck in his ass and another cowboy and a dog laughing at him.

[theultimatefan]

I remeber Kings Island very faintly from the early 90's but i do rember skylab and flight commander. I rember i rode skylab and having so much fun on it. and rideing flight commander and freaking out cuz i thought my dad was going to turn the tub upside down and i didnt want him to. and my sister making hers goaround and around the entire ride. Now there was a big argument awhile ago about the enchanted voyage, but i have had about 6 people agree with my mom about the small world music and dolls dressed up from around the world being at Kings Island. and i dont know how that many people could be mistaken. Because my mother is the only one who has been to a disney park.

[bowfin]

Now there was a big argument awhile ago about the enchanted voyage, but i have had about 6 people agree with my mom about the small world music and dolls dressed up from around the world being at Kings Island. and i dont know how that many people could be mistaken. Because my mother is the only one who has been to a disney park.

I'd like to see that discussion. Is it on this site somewhere? I hope I am understanding you correctly, your mom thinks the Enchanted Voyage was similar to Small World in Disney?

The Enchanted Voyage was all cartoon characters. It had a Scooby Doo scene, Banana Splits scene.. some spooky stuff and a huge clown face at the very end. I think the room with the clown had a giant calliape organ where the hill was. I really need to find the pictures we took of that ride.

The music went like this (remember this is the interpretation from when I was about 12) "who's afraid of the funny creatures (repeat twice) all on my TV the funny(or happy) creatures who live on my TV" some of the song I can't remember but they mention Scooby Doo Where are you? and Banana Splits, you don't eat them for desert!

Perhaps someone knows the entire song? I would LOVE to see the entire lyrics.

I've been to Disney and remember the small world ride. Small World and the Pirates of the Carribean rides are something I remember well probably because they were so colorful. There were tons of dancing dolls.

One more memory of costumes... the women running The Racer all wore gingham square dancing costumes.

I can see how it would be an inconvience to have someone from River Town having to fill in at Coney Island but as a child I just loved the costumes.

[bowfin]

The Bobsled ride (matterhorn, or Bayern Kurve) was technically in Oktoberfest. It was a ride with a train in a circle. The cars were individual bobsleds from different countries. It was taken out when construction of King Cobra started.

As for Enchanted voyage, we always called that the TV ride since the outside looked like a giant TV. We always said hi to the snail as we entered and exited.

Oh yeah! I remember always trying to get to the USA bobsled before anyone else! THanks for the info. It's kind of making me feel very old now that the King Cobra is being taken out and here I have fond memories of the ride that was taken out to make way for KC.

I think my sister and I said hi to the snail too! Did you always try to get into the front seat of a boat?

Do you remember the cartoon characters that ran across the overhead archways when the boats were leaving from one room into another? I can't remember if it was the same characters at each archway or different ones.

[Crispy1979]

>>>but i have had about 6 people agree with my mom about the small world music and dolls dressed up from around the world being at Kings Island. <<<

There was a Gulliver's Travles scene (from the Hanna Barabra movie that was a live action/cartoon combo) in Enchanted Voyage. This may have been what these people rememebr as the Liliputians would have been in peasant type costumes and would have been about Doll sized. But this was only one scene from the Enchanted Voyage.... and they definately weren't singing Disney's Small World scene. lol

Cris

[pki2005]

This has nothing really do to with pki history but its a memroy I have whil I was at pki. Anyway this happened a few years back by the AE exit kinda where the Beer Gardern is. Anyway I was walking and I saw a circle of people in the middle of the pathway. There was a snake there. A guy had a tray from which I guess was from the Mongomery Ribs trying to get the snake out. Finally he pick and up and it bit him and he tossed it in a area off the foot path. The guy was okay and I thanked him for removing the snake.

[flatbed]

I remember once when I was a kid I got busted for switching drivers during the middle of the Antique cars. Me a my buddy stopped, got out and switched seats, and this woman came out of nowhere, and told us we had to switch back or we would be thrown out of the park. I was traumatized! I was only about 11 or 12. I only wanted to take my turn driving........Is that so wrong!

[Beastfreak]

Haha, Flatbed, make sure you do your "Chinese Fire-drill" underneath the bridge when no one can see.

[IcarusLives]

I remember my dad saying there was a part of Enchanted Voyage that was very similar to Disney's It's a Small World and that Disney threated to take legal action if it wasn't changed. He said it was when the ride first opened (1972).

I remember when HB Land was first remodeled (1983 or some year). Before that my favorite ride was what I called the Kangaroo ride. It got switched to the Flintstone Flyers (not sure what they're called now or if they're still there.) I just remember running to the ride, all eager to ride in my yellow kanaroo and then seeing it was changed to helicoptors. God, I was so disappointed.

[7D Rules]

Actually, I rode the Enchanted Voyage as well in the early days. It did have the song "It's a small world" at least in part of the ride. I also remember that you went through this one part that was supposed to be scary. Anyway, if you looked beside you at a mirror, there appeared to be a ghost sitting next to you. It was a fav of mine, although it always seemed to have the line from hell because it was air conditioned. Does anyone remember that when the Bayern Curve reached maximum speed, a very loud horn used to sound off for a minute or two? Also a classic fav of mine was the Rotor. I loved the way the floor dropped out and kept you pinned against the wall. I also remember being terrified of The Racers. My mother used to have to bribe me with a couple of bucks to ride it. I also remember when The Beast opened. I wouldn't ride it either. Don't know what I was really scared of since you really couldn't see the ride itself. Must have been the name. Der spinnin keggers was an excellent one also. I remember that my uncle used to get it spinning before the ride even started and we were always the last ones off because we were still spinning. I did ride the skyline and still don't like those kinds of rides to this day. Something about that hanging feeling you get. I rode the Zodiac as well. Another terrifying ride that gave that hanging feeling that I really loathe. Screamin' Demon was the first coaster I ever rode that went upside down. Since it has moved to my hometown, I've only been able to ride it once. It's been down since then. Wish they could get it up and running again. It's a real shame what has happened to Camden Park. I had heard that at one time King's Island (before Paramount) had something to do with it. Someone told me recently that they still do. And if so, why won't they put any money in that one? I also think that the ACE organization needs to come through and help The Racer out. It's one of the oldest operating coasters in the world that has headlights and brakes that are worked by an employee. (not sure if the brakes are still the same, but I imagine it is).

[pki2005]

What year did the people by the Viking Ship Die

[Crazy31088]

Wasn't that 1991, the same day the lady on Flight Commander died?

[IcarusLives]

It was the same day. One guy fell in the pond and another one went in to help him and both were electrocuted by a faulty machine that recirculated the water. And then the woman fell from Flight Commander beacause she was intoxicated and passed out and fell out from under the restraints. That had to be a horrible day in the park.

On a happier note, who remembers the giant House of Cards in HB Land? I used to love that thing. It was neat how they had HB characters as the Queen and King on the cards. The mirror section was okay but the fun was walking into the first room with the slanted floor. If it was you first time you would literally slam into the far wall because you were not expecting it. The second year it was opend they installed a foam padded railing in front of the wall. So instead of hitting the wall, you would slam into a rib high padded bar. Gee, I think know why they took it out.